Making Online Board Meetings Productive and Effective

digitalizing M&A processes for optimal outcomes

The quality of your board’s meetings is contingent on the amount of work members complete prior to each meeting. If participants take the time to prepare, they can make online meetings more productive and efficient. A well-prepared group is more likely to stick to the agenda and avoid getting distracted.

It’s crucial to communicate clearly to board members who are located far away what they are expected to do in meetings. It’s best, for example to remind attendees to mute themselves when speaking, and only speak when asked to do so. This prevents people from talking over one another or leaving a meeting not feeling heard. Before beginning a meeting the convenor should ask participants if they have any technological issues they require assistance with.

Include the rules for virtual meetings in the orientation for board members materials so that everyone is aware of what to expect before and after the meeting. It’s crucial, for instance to provide the agenda in advance and then follow up the day or morning before to confirm the details. You can also provide the link to the meeting or Zoom to participants again and remind them about any other preferences you have (such as soliciting them to tune in to the meeting in a quiet location to limit distractions). It is recommended that you add a placeholder for an executive session to each item on the agenda, and include this at the beginning of the meeting to avoid confusion.