Online board meetings are an excellent option for non-profit boards that are unable or unwilling to meet in person due a lack of geographical constraints, travel costs, or busy schedules. They can be challenging to run in a productive manner and ensure that everyone feels included and engaged. Implementing some of the best practices can make these virtual meetings more efficient and effective.

It is important to clearly communicate meeting materials to board members prior to the meeting, so they can read and ask questions prior to the conference call. This will make the meeting more focused, run faster and provide more insightful insights. Additionally using a presentation software like Mentimeter can allow you to gather important insights from your attendees via dynamic visuals. The material will appear in the meeting's minutes, providing a permanent document that can be referred to years later.

Encourage participants to use the http://boardmgmt.net/maintaining-control-over-a-company-after-losing-majority-shareholder-support camera functions of their devices, so they can see each other. This can help keep everyone involved. Establish ground rules to ensure that everyone is treated equally. For instance the chair can request an raised hand to signal that someone is talking. They can also ask attendees to use their mute even when they're not speaking. It is also a good idea to limit meetings in duration to 90 minutes. Also, avoid scheduling meetings around meal times to prevent participants from eating food in front of cameras.

Set up specific discussion topics and the time limit for each item. This gives directors a sense of urgency in addressing items on the agenda, and improve productivity. In addition the focus on specific topic areas will eliminate distractions that can happen during meetings in person like chatting with other directors or checking emails.