How to Conduct a Successful Remote Board Meeting
It’s important to create a framework that keeps the discussion on track and productive during a remote board meeting. This is made easier when participants have an agenda in place which guides them at all times. It is also beneficial to send the agenda along with any other documents associated with it to attendees via an online board portal that is secure prior to the meeting so they can take note of, add items and review them before the meeting starts.
Another way to ensure an effective remote board meeting is to avoid distractions as much as possible. Ideally, participants should join the call from a quiet home or office space that isn’t filled with numerous distracting sounds. This will reduce the chance that they’ll lose focus and miss the important points to be discussed during the meeting.
Additionally, it’s a good idea to ask participants to mute their microphones when they are not speaking, to lessen distractions from background noise during the meeting. The designated minute-taker must record all motions in writing and record who made the motion as well as who seconded it. This is important to maintain a clear record that can be used as a source of reference or for legal purposes in the future.
Also, it’s crucial to stick to the time limit you set for each agenda item in order to prevent the meeting from running in a way that isn’t needed. You can encourage a productive meeting by encouraging attendees to put ad hoc discussions in a parking lot so they don’t disrupt the main discussion.