To save time and cost on travel, offer more flexibility for board members or improve communication, virtual meetings are becoming increasingly popular. The benefits are clear however, they aren’t without risks. A well-planned and executed virtual meeting can be as efficient as a face-to-face one however, it’s crucial to remember the following points when planning and hosting these types of events.
Make sure everyone is equipped with the proper equipment and software. It can be hard to keep everyone engaged when technical problems prevent them from hearing each other, seeing presentations, or using their cameras. It’s a good idea to give all attendees detailed instructions for checking their cameras, microphones and speakers before the meeting starts to avoid these issues.
Make sure the agenda is planned prior to the meeting to keep discussions on track. If you don’t create a plan, the meeting could get slowed down by side-bars. Also, make sure every topic is covered within the timeframe that you set to avoid leaving your attendees feeling that they didn’t get anything done or that their time was wasted.
It’s hard to recreate the camaraderie that occurs during board meetings in person. However there are ways to enhance your virtual experience by incorporating fun and engaging activities like breakout sessions or even a quiz. Also, you can use regular feedback loops to gather data on how each member and director is taking part in the meeting, what they think is you can try these out working and not working, and what could be improved next time.
