Tips for Making Online Board Meetings Productive

Online board meetings can be a convenient method for non-profit organizations and their staff to conduct business. But, like any meeting, the efficiency of a board meeting online is affected by many factors. This article outlines how to make virtual board meetings more productive and common pitfalls you can avoid.

The lack of engagement

Many boards of nonprofits find that they have difficulty keeping members who are not in the office. This is especially true if you’ve changed from face-toface meetings to remote sessions. Meetings can be affected due to low participation when members of the board aren’t comfortable speaking via video, or if they aren’t comfortable with the technology.

Committee reports are typically the least engaging items on the agenda, and it’s difficult to get people to participate in discussions about them in the virtual meeting. To combat this, ask your committee chairs to include a question or ask for feedback from the board in their reports.

Inadequate meeting minutes

Minute-takers on your board are responsible to document all critical discussions and decision from virtual meetings. They should avoid describing informal discussions or personal opinions, and should try to strike an equilibrium between thoroughness and simplicity. It is crucial to record your minutes https://protectednetwork.org/elevating-data-security-best-practices-to-counter-database-vulnerabilities/ in a formal manner and have the ability to store all documents securely including governing documents and financial reports. This will eliminate confusion and help improve accountability between meetings.