Online board meetings are a convenient and effective method for nonprofits to conduct business. However, as with any meeting, the productivity of a board meeting online can be impacted by many factors. This article will discuss how to make virtual board meetings more efficient and common pitfalls you should avoid.
Inactivity
Many boards for nonprofits discover that they struggle to keep participants from remote locations engaged during meetings. This is especially true if you’ve changed from face-toface meetings to remote sessions. Meetings could be affected by low participation if members of the board aren’t comfortable communicating via video, or if they struggle with the technology.
Reports from committees are often the least engaging parts of the agenda, and it is difficult to get attendees to engage in discussion of them in a virtual meeting. Encourage your committee chairpersons to include in their reports a question or a request for feedback from the Board.
Inadequate meeting minutes
The minutes-takers of your board are responsible for recording all important meetings and the decisions that are made from virtual meetings. They should avoid describing informal discussions or personal opinions and should aim for an equilibrium between thoroughness and brevity. It is also essential that your minutes are recorded in a formal manner, and that you have a system in place to ensure secure storage of all documents such as https://protectednetwork.org/what-virtual-data-room-information-do-you-need-to-improve-your-business/ governing documents, financial reports, and much more. This will reduce confusion and improve accountability.