As more organizations move from physical board meetings to virtual ones, it's become increasingly important to maintain an effective meeting experience. Fortunately, a number of boards have adopted innovative methods to ensure this happens.

One of the most efficient strategies is to pair new board members with experts who can assist them navigate through the virtual meeting environment. This allows new board members to ask questions, gain tips regarding the procedure for meetings and boardroom "norms", and gain a deeper understanding of the culture of the business.

Another way to encourage inclusivity is through implementing videoconferencing software that works with a range of devices and offers multiple levels of quality. This ensures that everyone on the board has access to the same high-quality meetings. It also allows for real-time collaboration, which helps bridge geographical gaps and accelerates decision-making.

It is essential to plan ahead for technical issues, especially during virtual meetings. Providing detailed instructions on how to join the meeting and testing equipment prior to the event will help prevent interruptions. Also, practicing good manners for calling, such as turning off your microphone when you aren't talking or closing tabs you don't need to decrease distractions.

A dedicated document management system is an excellent solution to centralize and secure documents for the board. The ideal solution will allow board members to download and upload their files before meetings and add comments. This will make it easier for you to stay on task during the meeting, and prevent confidential information from getting lost in translation. Lastly, using task management tools to assign specific tasks during and between meetings can increase accountability and encourage follow-through.

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