Virtual meetings are becoming more popular due to the fact that they help save time and money by reducing travel expenses and give board members more flexibility, or enhance communication. The benefits are obvious but they’re not without risks. A well-prepared and executed virtual meeting can be just as effective as a live one, but it’s important to keep in mind a few key points when planning and hosting these kinds of events.
Be sure that everyone has the correct equipment and software. It can be difficult to keep everyone engaged when there are technical difficulties that prevent participants from hearing one another and watching presentations or using their camera. It’s a good idea to provide all attendees with detailed instructions for checking their cameras, microphones and speakers prior to the meeting begins to prevent these issues.
Make sure the agenda is established prior to the meeting to keep discussions focused. Boards can get bogged down in a conversational snafu if you don’t have a plan to guide the meeting. Also, ensure that all topics covered during the meeting are addressed within the time limit to avoid leaving your attendees feeling that they didn’t get anything done or that their time was squandered.
The camaraderie, conversations and camaraderie that happen during in-person board meetings are difficult to duplicate online. There are ways to improve your virtual experience by incorporating fun and engaging activities like break-out sessions or a quiz. Also, you can use regular feedback loops to gather https://seboardroom.com/start-from-the-absolute-basics-and-learn-how-to-set-up-a-ma-data-room data on how each member and director is taking part in the meeting, what they feel works and doesn’t work and what they would like to improve next time.