Online board meetings provide better scheduling options. They cut down on the cost and time constraints of travel, and eliminate the time constraints associated with hotels and flights. They also boost the diversity of board members and help ward off groupthink. The virtual world comes with its own set of challenges that can result in less than effective meetings.
Switching from in-person meetings to virtual meetings requires a change in the manner boards communicate and operate. In order to facilitate communication in an online meeting, a lot elements used in an in-person board meeting have to be recreated. This includes the physical boardbook, digital presentations, and sharing documents. It can be difficult for board members to navigate technology. A simple board software package can simplify the process. However additional training might be required to ensure that board members succeed.
Maintaining a high level of engagement and productivity is another challenge when conducting an online board meeting. Being distracted by new topics of discussion can take up time and distract you from the most important agenda items. This can be avoided by creating an agenda that contains 20% less items, and dividing the discussion into 15 minute segments. Discussion forums for new issues is also a good idea.
It is also crucial that remote attendees can be able to see faces of the attendees in-room. This can be achieved by avoiding backgrounds or by moving the participants away from windows which could glare at the screen and obscure the image of other board members. Avoiding distractions such as cellphones and other gadgets will enable participants to concentrate on the discussion.
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