The quality of your board meeting depends on the amount of work participants do prior to every meeting. Online meetings can be more productive and efficient if participants prepare. A group that is well-prepared is more data room mergers and acquisitions for the business likely to stick to the agenda and avoid getting sidetracked.
It’s important to set clear expectations for remote board members on how they are expected to participate in meetings. It’s a good idea, for instance to remind the participants that they must mute themselves when speaking and only speak up when asked to do so. This will prevent people from arguing or leaving the meeting without feeling heard. It’s also crucial for the convener to ask participants if they need assistance in a tech issue prior to beginning.
Include the rules for virtual meetings in the board member orientation material so that everyone knows what to expect before, during and after the meeting. It’s essential, for example to distribute the agenda prior to the meeting and to follow up with the attendees in the morning or day prior to to confirm the details. You can also give the Zoom or meeting link to attendees again and remind them of any other preferences that you may have (such as asking them to tune in to the meeting in a quiet location to reduce distractions). It is recommended that you add a placeholder for an executive session to every item on the agenda, and include it at the start of the meeting in order to avoid confusion.
