Governance Online meetings can be efficient and energizing ways to make decisions that impact the entire organization. But, they’re not a replacement for face-to-face meetings. Board members and shareholders must be physically present to make decisions that legally binding.
Virtual meetings must be conducted as closely as possible to the experience of an in-person one. Participants should be prepared for the meeting, read any advance materials and arrive on time. They should also interact with each other as they would in a face-to-face meeting.
This can be accomplished by sending an agenda for the meeting to all participants and allocating an amount of time for each item. This will ensure that discussions remain on track and prevents the meeting from going over the time limit. The presiding officer can also invite participants to send messages or raise their hands whenever they want to participate. This will allow participants to express their opinions without interrupting others and will prevent them from feeling separated from the rest of the group.
The chief officer may also recommend the use of the silence button. This will reduce any background noise like dogs barking, crying children or doorbell rings. It is also important that they check in regularly with the attendees to ensure that they can participate. In addition, they should make sure that minutes are taken of the meeting and all important decisions or actions are recorded.