When conducting remote board meetings, it is essential to establish an effective structure to ensure that the discussion is productive and on track. It is easier to keep the discussion on track when all participants have a clear agenda. It is also helpful to send the agenda and any other documents associated with it to attendees via an encrypted board portal prior to the meeting so they can take note, add items, and review the agenda before the meeting starts.
Another method to ensure a productive remote board meeting is to limit distractions to the minimum. Participants should be able to attend the call in a peaceful setting, such as a home or office. This decreases the chances that they’ll lose focus and miss important points being discussed during the meeting.
It’s also recommended to ask the participants to muffle their microphones when not speaking to minimize distracting background noise. The person who takes minutes is required to record every motion in full and include who made the motion as well as who seconded the motion. This is crucial to keep a complete record of the meeting which can be used for references or for legal reasons years afterward.
It’s also important to stick to the deadlines you have set for each item on the agenda to avoid the meeting from dragging on unnecessarily. You can promote an efficient meeting by encouraging participants to leave ad-hoc topics in a parking area so that they don’t interrupt the main discussion.