Online ibabs board management software board meetings can be an efficient method for non-profit organizations and their staff members to conduct business. As with any gathering, a range of aspects can impact the efficiency of an online board meeting. This article provides tips for making your virtual board meetings efficient and also outlines the most common mistakes that can be avoided.

Lack of engagement

Many nonprofit boards discover that they have difficulty keeping attendees from remote locations entertained during meetings. This is especially true when you’ve changed from face-toface meetings to remote sessions. Meetings may suffer from low participation if your board members aren’t accustomed to video-based communication or if they’re struggling with the technology itself.

Committee reports are usually the least interesting items on the agenda, and it can be difficult to get participants to engage in discussion of them in the virtual meeting. To combat this, get your committee chairs to include a question or ask for feedback from the board in their reports.

Inadequate meeting minutes

Minute-takers on your board are responsible for documenting all critical meetings and the decisions that are made from virtual meetings. They should not discuss informal discussions or personal opinions and try to achieve a balance of completeness and clarity. It is also crucial that your minutes are recorded verbatim, and that you have a system in place to secure the storage of all documents including governing documents, financial reports, and more. This will help avoid confusion and increase accountability.