Board meetings in person provide more opportunities for conversations and non-verbal cues which aren’t able to be replicated in a virtual space. With some effort and planning, nonprofits can still maintain a productive meeting dynamic when switching to digital formats.
The adoption of best practices proven to work makes it possible for virtual board meetings to be as efficient as meetings in person. To ensure that your meetings are engaging and productive take a look at these suggestions:
Comprehensive Preparation
Virtual meetings require more thorough and detailed preparation than in-person meetings. A detailed agenda, with clearly defined discussion topics and time limits for each topic, should be made available prior to the meeting to ensure directors can look up any information they need and prepare questions or suggestions before the meeting starts.
Share Meeting Materials Early
It’s easy to lose track of time in a virtual meeting if you are able to easily check your social media or your email. Make it a point to send out all the necessary meeting materials, information and documents at the very least one week prior to the session. This will prevent participants from wasting time during meetings and give them more time to take part in discussions and take decisions.
Utilize a virtual board management software platform such as OnBoard to allow your board members access to all required materials and resources prior to the meeting. You can avoid the distractions associated with technical issues and connectivity issues, which can result in meetings being delayed or derail. To avoid such issues make sure you ask your board management software provider to test all the equipment and links for each participant before the meeting.