A virtual board meeting is a great way for the board of directors of a nonprofit to get together without having to travel. Meetings online can present unique challenges. Some issues can be solved by using the appropriate tools for your board’s needs while others require more thought and attention. There are numerous resources to aid you in running your online board meeting in a way that is efficient.
A well-planned agenda is essential to ensure maximum effectiveness at your online board meeting. Be sure to include specific discussion items with the time allotted and the desired conclusion for each item. This will keep the meetings on track and prevent them from drifting away from the main discussion or taking up too much time.
Before you start your meeting, it’s a great idea to ensure that all board members are aware of the tools and software they’ll require. Provide clear instructions for logging into the video conference and to encourage them to shut down any program that use up bandwidth or interfere with audio. Remind them to stay clear of brightly lit areas during their participation in case others don’t see their screens.
The most effective tool to facilitate an online board meeting would be an app that allows collaboration. This allows board members to quickly prepare for meetings via virtual technology and also attend the meetings. Select an app that has a boardbook builder that will help you cut down on the time it takes to prepare for meetings. It should also include an option to share agendas and meeting materials in advance. Additionally, you should look for an application that allows real-time sharing of documents. It also allows participants to mark the documents with annotations and highlights.