Online board meetings can be a great method for nonprofits as well as their staff to conduct business. However, as with every meeting, the efficiency of a virtual board meeting can be impacted by a variety of factors. This article highlights tips on making your virtual board meetings productive and discusses the most common mistakes that can be avoided.
Inactivity
Many boards of non-profit organizations struggle to keep remote attendees engaged during meetings. This is particularly true if you have switched from face-toface meetings to remote sessions. Meetings may suffer from low participation in the event that your board members aren’t used to communicating via video or are struggling with the technology itself.
It can be difficult to convince participants to attend a virtual meeting when committee reports aren’t the most interesting item on the agenda. To combat this, encourage your committee chairpersons to include a question or ask 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 avoid describing informal discussions or personal opinions, and aim for a balance between completeness and clarity. It is crucial to https://protectednetwork.org/ keep the minutes of your meetings in writing and have a system for storing all documents in a secure manner, including governing documents and financial reports. This will reduce confusion and improve accountability.