The quality of your board meetings depends on how much work members do before each one. Online meetings can be more productive and efficient if participants prepare. A secure and collaborative M&A with digital rooms group that is well-prepared is more likely to adhere to the agenda and avoid getting distracted.

It is essential to clearly communicate to board members on the remote how they should participate in meetings. It’s best, for example to remind attendees that they should mute themselves when speaking and only speak when called upon. This stops people from talking over each other or leaving the meeting without feeling heard. Before a meeting starts the convenor must ask participants to identify any technology problems they need help with.

It’s also helpful to include the rules for meetings that are virtual in the board member’s orientation materials so that everyone has a thorough understanding of what’s required of them prior to and after the meeting. It’s essential, for example, to send out the agenda prior to the meeting and then follow up each day or early in the morning to confirm the agenda details. You could also offer the Zoom or meeting link to participants again and remind them of any other preferences you have (such as the need to ensure that they are able to connect to the meeting in a quiet location to minimize distractions). It is recommended that you include a placeholder for an executive session to each item on the agenda and include this at the beginning of the meeting in order to avoid confusion.