Online Board Meetings Benefits
A virtual board meeting can save your non-profit organization money, time, and energy. It also allows your members to participate regardless of their work schedule, quarantine or travel restrictions. However, it’s important keep in mind that virtual meetings can create difficulties if they’re not managed properly. However following a few easy guidelines will result in a smooth online meeting with strong board engagement and effective documentation.
Start with a concise and clear agenda. Include your board members in the agenda-setting process, and send them a copy well in advance of the meeting to allow them to prepare for the discussion. This will help keep your board on track and ensures all relevant topics are addressed during the meeting.
Make sure to incorporate video conferencing during your meetings to ensure that participants can see one another. If members of the board can’t see body language or hear each other clearly, it’s difficult to connect. Video conferences are a great way to eliminate distractions like pets, children, and household activities.
Include all the decisions taken during the meeting, and the notes from each person who participated. This makes your minutes more useful for future reference and assures that all decisions are written down in detail. If you don’t document your decisions properly it could lead to confusion and conflicting information later on. Make sure you have an individual who will keep track of all discussions and decisions in writing.