It is essential to establish a framework that keeps the discussion in order and productive during a remote board meeting. This is simpler when meeting participants have a plan that will guide them at all times. It is also helpful to send the agenda along with any documents that go along with it to the attendees through a secure board portal in advance so that they can take note of, add items, and review the agenda before the meeting starts.
Another way to ensure a smooth remote board meeting is to minimize distractions to the minimum. Participants should make sure to take the call in a peaceful setting, such as a office or at home. This will lower the chances that they’ll lose focus and miss important information being discussed in the call.
Additionally, it’s an excellent idea to ask participants to mute their microphones when they are not talking to help reduce background noise that can distract during the meeting. The person who is designated to take minutes must record all motions verbatim and include who made the motion and who seconded it. This is essential to maintaining a clear record of the meeting that can be used for reference or legal purposes years afterward.
Also, it’s crucial to adhere to the time limitations you set for each agenda item to prevent the meeting from dragging on unnecessarily. You can further promote efficient meeting proceedings by encouraging participants to use a parking lot for ad-hoc topics to ensure they don’t interfere with the main discussion.