How to Conduct a Digital Board Meeting

new boardroomdigital.info article

Digital board meetings are an innovative conference format that allows directors’ boards to meet over the internet. The meetings are conducted using video and audio communications tools that are connected to a stable internet connection. Directors can access the meeting documents online in a boardbook, which is accessible from anywhere. The board portal also holds meeting minutes to make them easy to access. This paper-free solution simplifies administrative tasks for condo and cooperative board members. It eliminates the requirement for printed materials and reduces costs related to distribution storage, photocopying, and distribution. It also allows boards to meet quorum by allowing remote attendance, and thus allowing an increased range of social and geographical diversity.

To ensure smooth and efficient communication during a meeting on a digital board, the following best practices must be adhered to:

Send a calendar invitation with the agenda a day before the virtual meeting to prepare talk points. This will improve engagement and attendance. The board chair should be aware of the time difference between the participants and schedule the meeting at a reasonable time that is convenient to accommodate everyone.

Encourage participation during the virtual meeting by using a chatbox and asking participants to raise their hands prior to speaking. Keep the meetings short because long meetings can affect productivity and decrease engagement. Also, don’t fill the entire meeting with a presentation slide because it could hinder discussions and create confusion. Instead, create an agenda that has 20% fewer items in order to encourage more conversation.