In-person board meetings provide more opportunities for conversations and non-verbal signals that can’t be replicated in a virtual setting. With a little planning and effort, nonprofits can ensure effective meeting dynamics when switching to virtual formats.
Virtual board meetings can be equally effective as in-person meetings by following best practices. To ensure that your meetings are productive and fun, consider the following tips:
Comprehensive Preparation
Virtual meetings require more extensive preparation than meetings in person. Before the meeting, directors should be provided with a written agenda that clearly defines the topics for discussion and time limits for each. This allows them to look up any information required and prepare questions or ideas prior to the meeting.
Make sure you have meeting materials available early
It’s easy to lose focus during a virtual meeting when you are able to easily check your emails or social media. Make it a priority to distribute all important meeting materials, information and documents at a minimum of a week before the session. This will avoid participants from wasting time in meetings and allow for more time to engage with discussions and participate in decision-making.
Use a virtual board administration software platform, like OnBoard, to provide your board members with access to all the necessary resources and materials prior to the date of the meeting. In this way you will avoid the frequent distractions of technical issues and connectivity problems that can derail or delay meetings. To http://seboardroom.com/how-to-structure-nonprofit-board-positions/ avoid these issues ensure that your board management software provider check all the connections and equipment for each participant prior to the start of the meeting.