Board meeting online continues to grow as the world becomes aware of the benefits of virtual collaboration. This trend is a great method to get your members involved and remove the geographical limitations that could otherwise force members to travel to meetings. However, there are some www.travelboardroom.com/how-to-run-an-effective-business-meeting/ obstacles to overcome when making the transition to this new approach. Boards can encourage robust participation at board meetings that are held remotely with advance planning and savvy facilitation.
It is crucial that in addition to deciding on the agenda for the meeting, everyone has the necessary technology to be able to participate. It’s an excellent idea to provide an access link for testing and login information before the meeting, and to request that participants turn off their microphones when they are not speaking, which will help to reduce background noise and allow them to better hear the person who is on the floor. In addition, it is an excellent idea to establish conversation protocol (i.e. the hand-raise method for getting the attention of the group) and also to limit the number of people who are multitasking, since this could result in confusion during the meeting.
Virtual board meetings can be difficult to conduct because it is hard to create the same level of comfort as in-person meetings. A variety of tools can be used to promote connection, such as the use of icebreakers. Ferrazzi Greenlight for instance, designed a set of exercises that be done during a conference for example, such as the « sweet and bitter check-in » where participants share something that they are grateful, and another with which they are struggling professionally or personally. This enables more open and vulnerable conversation, which can strengthen relationships between board members.