The quality of your board meeting is contingent on the amount of work that members perform prior to every meeting. When participants are able to plan their meetings their agendas, they will make online meetings more productive and efficient. A well-prepared team is more likely to stick to the agenda and make sure they aren’t distracted by divergent thoughts.
It’s crucial to establish clear expectations for remote board members on how they are required to take part in meetings. For instance, it’s best to remind members to silence themselves and only speak when required to do so. This will stop people from talking over each other or leaving a gathering without feeling heard. Before a meeting begins the convenor should ask participants if they have any tech issues they require assistance with.
It’s also helpful to include the rules for virtual meetings in the materials for board members’ orientation to ensure that everyone has good understanding of what is expected of them before, during, and after the meeting. For instance, it’s important to communicate the agenda prior to the time of the meeting and to follow up with attendees a day or early in the morning prior to the meeting to confirm the details, send them the Zoom or meeting link to confirm and remind them of any other meeting preferences (such as requesting that attendees tune in from a quiet location to limit distractions). It is also recommended to add an executive session placeholder to each agenda item and include it at the beginning of the meeting to avoid confusion regarding whether there is an executive session or not.