How to Conduct an Online Board Meeting
Video conferences enable remote board members to see one another, even when they are using different devices. Non-profits have the option of choosing from a variety of low-cost or free video conference platforms for their meetings, including Zoom, GoToMeeting, WebEx and Google Meet. Nonprofits can also use board management software that has meeting interfaces that allow remote participation.
The ability to observe the expressions on the faces of participants can help encourage more interactive and participative meetings. To ensure that everyone’s voice is heard the chair should call on members of the board who have yet to speak, and limit the number of people who can speak simultaneously. This ensures that no individual is in charge of the discussion and allows for a more balanced process of decision making. To reduce background noise, request that participants turn off their mobile phones and hit the muted button when not speaking.
Certain directors may be uneasy with a virtual meeting environment and are reluctant to speak up, which limits their engagement and the effectiveness of the meeting. This can be addressed using an easy-to-use interface for meetings, a training session that helps attendees become familiar with the technology, and urging them practice before the meeting. The board can also create an agenda that is strict and limits the length of each item to ensure that the meeting is conducted efficiently and the desired outcome is achieved. Board members can highlight documents on their computers and take notes to improve their engagement and speed the meeting. They can share their annotations with their members to enhance collaboration and the quality of their meeting minutes.