A well-organized online board meeting could be a fantastic tool to increase the accountability and efficiency of a nonprofit. However, it can also create challenges. One of these is the lack of physical interaction between participants. This could affect the way board members communicate, which could negatively impact the decision-making process.
The key to a successful online board meeting is having the proper tools, the right training, and protocols for communication in place. The choice of a suitable online management software with enterprise-level security, live polling and the capability to conduct voting in real-time during the meeting is vital. It is crucial that everyone has a stable connection to the internet and are comfortable with their video conference equipment. It is recommended to run an initial meeting prior to the actual one, especially for board members who are new, so that any issues can be worked out ahead of time.
An absence of facial expressions and body language can make it difficult to discern what others are saying and how they are feeling. To avoid this, board members should mute their microphones during meetings and only turn them on when they have something important to say. It is also crucial to have a clear plan for distributing the podium to different owners and to limit their time on the podium to avoid confusion and noise.
Finally, it is recommended to create an area for waiting people who wish to join the meeting but aren’t yet ready. This will prevent attendees from having useful source to attend the meeting while it is already underway, which can result in an interruption in productivity and reduce the effectiveness of the gathering.
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