Tips for Making Online Board Meetings Productive
Online board meetings are a convenient and efficient method for non-profit organizations to conduct business. However, just like any meeting, the productivity of an online board meeting can be affected by several factors. This article provides suggestions for making your virtual board meetings efficient and outlines common pitfalls that can be avoided.
The lack of engagement
Many boards of nonprofits find that they are struggling to keep remote participants engaged during meetings. This is especially relevant if your organization has made the switch to meeting remotely from face-to-face sessions. Meetings could be affected by low participation if members of the board aren’t comfortable speaking via video, or if they struggle with the technology.
It is hard to convince participants to take part in an online meeting when committee reports are not the most interesting portion of the agenda. Encourage your committee chairpersons to include in their reports a question or a request for feedback from the Board.
Inadequate meeting minutes
Minute-takers in your board are responsible for recording all important discussions and decisions from virtual meetings. They should be careful not to describe informal discussions or personal opinions and should try to strike an equilibrium between thoroughness and simplicity. It is also crucial that your minutes are recorded exactly as they were, and that you have an established system to ensure secure storage of all documents including governing documents, financial reports, and much more. This will avoid confusion and improve accountability.