Despite the current pandemic, nonprofit boards must still meet regularly to decide. Virtual meetings are an easy solution that can boost the efficiency of board members and their engagement. However, these online meetings have their own set of difficulties. Certain board members may not be comfortable with the latest technology, while others have a limited understanding of technology.

Virtual meetings can also lead to a lack of motivation or focus, especially in long meetings. Participants suffer from “zoom fatigue” and can easily get distracted by other activities on their screens. To prevent this, it’s important to keep the meeting short. Make sure the agenda is clearly communicated, and encourage attendees to speak up throughout the meeting. It is also helpful to use polls and questions to maintain attention.

The inability to see facial expressions or body language is a further issue with virtual board meetings. This can impact the level of engagement among board members as well as the effectiveness of the meeting. To prevent this board members should be encouraged to view video during the meeting, so they are able to discern non-verbal signals from their peers.

The difficulty of recording and disseminating minutes of board meetings is another challenge. Recording the entire meeting is essential in the event that a board member is unable to attend. This will also allow future boards to review prior decisions and understand the rationale behind a specific decision. It is best www.boardroomtx.com/how-to-run-board-meetings-in-times-of-crisis/ to use a tool for managing boards that offers a central archive of all meeting material that is both historical and current.