Online board meetings are a convenient and efficient method for non-profit organizations to conduct business. Like any other meeting, a variety factors can impact the effectiveness of an online board meeting. This article provides suggestions for making your virtual board meetings efficient and addresses the most common mistakes that can be avoided.
Lack of engagement
Many boards of non-profit organizations struggle to keep remote participants engaged during meetings. This is particularly relevant if your organization has made the switch to meeting remotely from face-to-face meetings. Meetings may be affected by low participation when members of the board aren’t comfortable communicating via video or struggle with the technology.
Committee reports are typically the least engaging items on the agenda, and what to look for in a board portal provider it can be difficult to convince attendees to participate in discussions about them in an online meeting. Encourage your committee chairs to include in their reports a query or request for feedback from the Board.
Inadequate meeting minutes
The appointed minutestakers of your board are responsible for ensuring every critical discussion and decision of your virtual meetings are documented in a clear, concise manner. They should be careful not to describe personal opinions or informal discussions and should aim for an appropriate balance between clarity and thoroughness. It is crucial to record your minutes verbatim and have an effective system to store all documents with security, including governing documents and financial reports. This will eliminate confusion and help improve accountability between meetings.