The quality of your board meetings depends on the amount of work participants complete prior to each meeting. Online meetings are more productive and efficient if participants prepare. A well-prepared group is more likely to adhere to the agenda and ensure that they don’t get sidetracked by a tangent.
It is essential to clearly communicate to board members who are located far away how they can participate in meetings. For instance, it’s a good idea to remind them to silence themselves and only speak when called upon. This stops people from talking over one another or leaving the meeting without feeling heard. It’s also important for the convenor to inquire participants if they need help with a technical issue prior to getting started.
It’s also helpful to include the rules for virtual meetings in board member orientation materials to ensure that everyone has a clear understanding of what’s required of them prior to the meeting, during, and after the meeting. For instance it’s important to distribute the agenda prior to the time of the meeting and to follow up with participants one day or early in the morning prior to the meeting to confirm all the details, then provide them with the Zoom or meeting link once more, and remind them of any other preferences for meetings (such as requesting attendees to be in a quiet area to minimize distractions). It is recommended that you include a placeholder to an executive session to each item on your agenda and include it at the beginning of the meeting in order to avoid confusion.