Online board meetings are a convenient way for nonprofits and their staff members to conduct business. But, like any other meeting, the effectiveness of an online board meeting can be impacted by several factors. This article will help you make virtual board meetings more efficient and the most common pitfalls to avoid.
Lack of engagement
Many nonprofit boards struggle to keep remote participants engaged during meetings. This is especially relevant if your organization has made the transition to remote meetings from face-toface meetings. Meetings may suffer from low participation If your board members aren’t accustomed to using video for communication, or if they are struggling with the technology itself.
Reports from committees are often the least engaging items on the agenda, and it’s difficult to convince attendees to engage in discussion of them in the virtual meeting. To combat this, ask your committee members to include a question or request for feedback from the board in their reports.
Inadequate meeting minutes
Minute-takers on your board are responsible for documenting all critical discussions and decisions from virtual meetings. They should refrain from describing informal discussions or personal opinions, and should seek to achieve a balance between thoroughness and conciseness. It is also important that your minutes are recorded exactly as they were and that you have an established system to ensure safe storage of all documents, including governing documents, financial reports, and much more. This https://protectednetwork.org/best-practices-for-agenda-in-board-meetings/ will reduce confusion and help improve accountability.