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Virtual meetings have become a common practice for many mission-driven organizations and if done right they are highly productive. But, like any meeting, there are a few crucial aspects to consider to ensure that the meeting is effective.

While it’s essential to set guidelines and establish a proper etiquette, it’s equally vital to keep the conversation moving. It is difficult for those not present to offer their thoughts when the discussion is stalled on a single topic. This is where an agenda can come in useful, since it can help the chair of the meeting ensure that all participants are getting their fair share of discussion and stop certain voices from dominating the discussion.

It is also essential to keep remote participants engaged by ensuring that they see the key content. This could include presentations shared or physical documents distributed or even content that was created during the meeting on flipcharts or whiteboards. By providing this engaging experience, remote attendees are able to be fully engaged and make their contributions as easily as their in-person counterparts.

To facilitate this transition, it is important to have an application that provides secure central access to all meeting material. A platform such as BoardPro offers this functionality that aids in the transition to a digital-only format for meetings. Directors are able to easily access important information by recording meeting notes and other documents in a central archive.