The quality of your board’s meeting is dependent on the amount of work that members perform prior to each meeting. If they make the effort to prepare, they can make online meetings more productive and effective. A well-prepared team is more likely to adhere to the agenda and make sure they use productive meeting agenda don’t get sidetracked by an unrelated tangent.

It’s essential to establish clear expectations for remote board members regarding how they’re expected to attend meetings. For instance, it’s best to remind people to mute themselves and only speak when they’re asked to speak. This stops people from talking over one another or leaving a meeting not feeling heard. It’s also important for the convenor to inquire participants if they need help in a tech issue prior to starting.

Include the rules of virtual meetings in the orientation for board members materials so that everyone is aware of what to expect prior to, during and after the meeting. For instance, it’s important to distribute the agenda ahead of time and to follow up with participants one day or early in the morning prior to the meeting to confirm the details, send them the link to the meeting or Zoom again, and remind attendees of any other meeting preferences (such as asking attendees to tune in from a quiet area to minimize distractions). It is also recommended to add a placeholder for an executive session to every agenda item and to include it at the beginning of the meeting to avoid confusion as to whether there is an executive session.