As more organizations move from physical board meetings to virtual ones, it’s become increasingly important to ensure the quality of meetings. Fortunately, numerous boards have adopted innovative strategies to accomplish this.
One of the most effective methods is to pair new board members with more experienced members who can assist them navigate through the virtual meeting environment. This allows board members who are new to ask questions, gain tips regarding the procedures for meetings and boardroom “norms”, and gain a better understanding of the corporate culture.
Another way to promote inclusiveness is to use videoconferencing software that works with various devices and provides different levels of quality. All board members will experience the same experience at meetings. It also allows for real-time collaboration, which helps reduce geographical distances and speed the process of making decisions.
It is crucial to plan ahead, particularly for virtual meetings. Offering clear instructions on how to join the meeting and testing equipment ahead of time can minimize disruptions. Also, practicing an appropriate manner of calling, like muting your microphone when you’re not speaking and closing unnecessary tabs–can decrease distractions.
A dedicated document management system is a fantastic solution to centralize and secure documents for the board. The right solution will also allow board members to upload and download their documents before the meeting and add comments to them. This will save you time during the meeting and prevent confidential information from being lost in translation. Additionally, using task management tools to assign tasks in between meetings can increase accountability and ensure that follow-up is maintained.
