Online board meetings require more engagement than their counterparts offline, and it can prove difficult to figure out how to energize these meetings. Start by ensuring your virtual boardroom is equipped with reliable video communications, clear protocols for communication and the appropriate meeting materials. From there, you can set up efficient protocols to guide your participants through the online meeting process and help them to participate in productive discussions.
Make sure that each item on the agenda is accompanied by an objective for the conversation, such as “decide a specific action item” or to “spark new ideas.” This will help you move away from the issue at hand as soon as your desired outcome is reached and avoid overstaying your invitation. In addition, setting the time limit for each try this discussion point will keep the meeting from going on for too long.
Start with the most crucial items on your agenda. When you attend board meetings in person, it’s possible to detect body language signals that indicate that members have something important to say. These signals are more difficult to recognize when meetings are held remotely. Starting with the most pressing issues will ensure that everyone is a part of the discussion and will feel that their time has been well spent.
Use a consensus agenda in order to save time on more controversial discussion topics that might not have the same impact on your organization. Members can vote on items that are not controversial prior to the meeting gets underway, so you can concentrate on the most important issues. Similarly, consider inviting expert guests to present short talks or insights that will broaden the board’s view and help to ward off boardroom groupthink.