How to Conduct a Successful Remote Board Meeting

The epidemic has made it more difficult than ever for nonprofits to function and gain community support. Many are relying on board meetings that are held remotely to make crucial decisions and ensure their survival. However it can be difficult to conduct an effective remote board meeting without the presence of all board members.

A clear, specific agenda will help keep your board meeting remote and on topic at all times. Include your board members in the process of establishing agendas to find out what topics need to be covered and then send the agenda to all participants as far in advance as you can so that they are able to prepare. This will ensure that the attendees are aware of the topics that need to be covered and can include any items on the agenda before hand. Using a secure online board portal to distribute the agenda and other materials will aid in reducing security risk.

Video can boost engagement during remote board meetings, by adding the crucial face-to-face aspect anonymous to discussions. In addition video makes it easier for attendees to look at other people’s body language and make note of nonverbal signals such as impatience, boredom or excitement.

Meeting in person can be difficult to schedule for busy boards that have to manage many professional and personal commitments. With remote board meeting software, determining the most convenient time for all attendees could be much simpler. SavvyCal’s free meeting polls, for example, allow you to suggest multiple times for your meetings and let participants decide on the time that is most suitable for them. This can eliminate the need to send back-and-forth emails, and could save you a lot of time and hassle.