A well-organized online board meeting is an excellent method to boost the effectiveness and useful source accountability of a non-profit organization. It can also present problems. One of them is the lack of physical interaction among participants. This can affect how board members communicate with one other, which can have negative consequences for the decision-making process.
The essential element to a successful virtual board meeting is having the right tools, procedures for training and communication in place. This includes choosing a reliable online board management system that has enterprise-level security and live polling which allows the conduct of votes in real time during the meeting. It is also essential to ensure that all participants have a reliable internet connection and that they are proficient in using their video equipment for meetings. It is suggested to conduct an experiment before the actual one, particularly for new board members so that any problems can be addressed prior to the actual meeting.
The absence of facial expressions and body language can make it difficult for people to comprehend what others are saying and how they feel. To avoid this, the board member should muffle their microphones only turning them on when they are ready to speak. To prevent confusion and noise, it is crucial to have a clear procedure for distributing the microphone to different owners.
Finally, it is an excellent idea to provide an area for waiting people who would like to join the meeting but are not yet ready. This will stop attendees from accidentally joining the meeting when it’s already taking place and could lead to a loss of productivity and decrease the effectiveness of the gathering.
