Organizing workflow within governance structures often requires the use of effective practices and techniques. With the active use of virtual portals and boards, this process has become more open and easy to organize and conduct, but you cannot do without certain techniques for implementing one or another step. we suggest learning a little more about how to call a board meeting to order during board meetings so that the entire process will be more effective for all participants in the future.
Some simple tips that will help to call to order the participants of the meeting
Using various virtual portals and boards makes it much easier to hold a board meeting. But it takes some effort to get the right number of participants to a meeting, even online. The same effort is needed to keep order during the discussion of the agenda items. To make a board meeting as easy and conflict-free as possible, we suggest taking advantage of our tips:
- Get everyone in a working mood. If you are the meeting organizer or moderator, you need to lead by example and model meeting behavior. To do this, try to create a more relaxed atmosphere at the beginning of the meeting, for example, start with a greeting and a little small talk. But after that, don’t forget to state the purpose of your meeting and move the conversation smoothly to discussing the agenda.
- Be punctual. To show your professionalism, always start the meeting on time. This way, you’ll show that you value the meeting participants’ time and won’t make them nervous about waiting for what could turn into a conflict during the meeting. It will also help to avoid prolonging the meeting so that attendees don’t get bored.
- Keep Calm. During meetings, certain behaviors can quickly become the same among meeting participants. If you, the organizer, are calm yourself, others are likely to follow your example. Always respond calmly to questions and criticism, and show that the outcome of the meeting is more important to you than creating and engaging in conflict.
- Watch your time. To prevent conflicts from arising during agenda items, set a clear time frame for addressing each issue. If additional time is needed for discussion, ask meeting participants if they have any objections.
- Establish clear rules for the meeting. At the beginning of the meeting, outline the ground rules for the meeting and agree on the signals you’ll sound if the discussion drags on or tensions arise. It’s important for all meeting participants to hear the rules. If tensions rise, don’t yell, but calmly make comments and respond just as calmly to any challenges that may come your way.
Remember, it’s better to prevent unpleasant situations during a meeting than to deal with them as they arise.
Why do I need to chair a board meeting?
A good way to keep order at a meeting is to choose a chairman. It can always be a specific person or it can be delegated to any new board member at a new meeting. That said, it’s worth making a rule that the word of the chairman of the meeting is non-negotiable, especially when it comes to keeping order.