As governing boards return normal business the hybrid board meeting is quickly becoming the commonplace. This new method allows nonprofit trustees and directors to attend meetings remotely as well as attend in person at a later time. This is a great alternative for boards of all sizes as it eliminates the need to accommodate quarantine time periods and travel restrictions. Hybrid board meetings can be problematic If they are not planned and executed properly.
A key component for a successful meeting is clear communication between in-person and remote participants. Having a top-quality videoconferencing system that is high-speed and fast internet is vital to ensure that both in-person as well as virtual attendees can be heard clearly. It is recommended to have a dedicated audio speaker for people in the room, and to give remote attendees the opportunity to share their screens in order to make it easier for them to follow the conversation.
Having a clear agenda is essential. This can keep the meeting on track and focused which can be a problem if meetings last for too long. Also, it is helpful to provide a break for in-person attendees to allow them to re-energize themselves and remain productive throughout the meeting.
It is also a good idea be able to assign a facilitator for every meeting, particularly during lively discussions. It is easy for those who are in person to forget about their virtual counterparts and to overlook the tension caused by the fact that some have physical presence whereas others aren’t. Facilitators help balance these differences and keeps the group focused on the most important issues at hand.