An online board meeting is an excellent way for a nonprofit’s board directors to meet from home, without the need for travel. Virtual meetings can pose unique challenges. Certain issues can be addressed using the appropriate tools to meet your board’s requirements; others require more thought and consideration. There are numerous tools to help you run your online board meeting effectively.
An agenda that is well-planned can help you maximize the effectiveness of your online board meeting. Make sure you include specific discussion points with the time allotted and the an intended conclusion for each item. This will help keep the meetings focused on the most important topics and minimize the possibility of discussions drifting off topic or taking too long.
Before you start your meeting, it’s a great idea to ensure that everyone on your board are familiar with the tools and software they will require. Set clear guidelines for logging in to the video conference, and also encourage users to shut down any software that could use up bandwidth or interfere with audio. Be sure to keep them out of brightly illuminated areas when they join in case other attendees can’t see their screens.
The most effective tool to facilitate an online board meeting is a collaboration app that makes it simple for board members to prepare and attend virtual meetings. Choose an app with the ability to build a boardbook. This will assist you in reducing the time needed to prepare for meetings. It should also include the capability to share agendas and meeting materials in advance. Look for an app which allows real-time document sharing and lets participants highlight and add annotations.