The quality of your board’s meetings depends on how much work members do before each one. When participants make the effort to prepare for online meetings, they will make the meetings more productive and effective. A group that is well-prepared is more likely to stick to the agenda and avoid getting sidetracked.
It’s important to communicate clearly to board members from remote locations what they are expected to do in meetings. It’s best, for example to remind attendees to turn off their phones when speaking and only speak up when called upon. This will stop people from talking over each other or leaving a meeting without feeling heard. Before a meeting begins, the convenor should ask participants to identify any technology problems they need help with.
Include the rules for virtual meetings in the orientation for board members material so that everyone knows what to expect prior to, during and after the meeting. For instance, it’s crucial to send the agenda prior to the time of the meeting and to follow up with participants one day or early in the morning prior to the meeting to confirm all the details, provide them with the link to the meeting or Zoom once more and remind attendees of any other preferences at the meeting (such as requesting that attendees tune in from an area that is quiet to avoid distractions). It is also recommended to include a placeholder for executive sessions to each agenda item and to include this at the start of the meeting to avoid confusion as to whether there will be an executive session or not.
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