Effective Board Communication During Coronavirus
One of the implications of COVID-19 (coronavirus) has been that many in-person events and meetings are getting cancelled or moved online. Passive meeting attendees rarely do quality work: remember it’s a conversation not a presentation. To have an effective meeting — virtual or otherwise — you must promote engagement. In virtual meetings, it’s particularly easy for attendees to default to the role of observers. To counteract this effect, outline the concept of shared responsibility early in the meeting.
Here are a few considerations to keep in mind to help you host effective board meetings in the new “work-at-home world” from an operational and practical perspective:
The operational:
Hold board meetings early and often. Given the speed at which the crisis is evolving, the board will likely need to meet more often than before. The board should continue to provide oversight, long-term planning, and strategic support, and its efforts should be documented in board minutes and other meeting materials.
Determine your new voting norms. While most boards may be used to voting at in-person meetings, your board might wish to consider opting to act by written consent rather than by holding a formal meeting. The first step? Figure out how the laws of the company’s jurisdiction apply to virtual-only meetings. If they are permitted, decide which actions may be decided by written consent and whether you require a majority vote or unanimity. Some things, however, might be better saved for live discussion and deliberation. The board may also consider options for virtual voting; several online board meeting platforms have inbuilt capabilities to support live polls.
Consider COVID-19 disclosure requirements. You may need to provide additional information to shareholders regarding the ongoing impact of this pandemic on the company’s operations. Review risk factors, management discussion and analysis, earnings guidance, financial statements, and other relevant disclosures, and ensure that they appropriately disclose known risks, trends, and uncertainties.
The practical:
Audio and video quality. The quality of a meeting improves considerably with good video and audio quality. Ensure that attendees are in a quiet space when they connect and mute themselves when they are not speaking. Poor audio can negatively impact everyone’s experience.
What’s the right tech platform? Truth be told, most video conferencing tools work well so if you have a platform you like, just keep using it. If you don’t have a preference yet, consider Microsoft Teams, Webex or Zoom. Zoom’s traditional features may make it easier to facilitate interactive discussions for larger groups. If you’re considering a board meeting management tool we recommend Boardable which is an easy-to use board management software.
Don’t rely too much on the slides. If you’re sharing your screen to present slides, you may feel implicit pressure to get through them all and lose the attention of other meeting attendees. Instead, focus on the essentials to encourage higher engagement.
Keep evaluating what’s working — and what’s not. During this period, many boards are meeting primarily virtually for the first time and things might not be perfect from the beginning. That’s alright. Regularly review the board’s processes to guide people’s behaviors and decision-making toward desired norms.
Sources consulted include Harvard Business Review, How to Get People to Actually Participate in Virtual Meetings, Sidley Austin, Ten Considerations for Boards of Directors During the COVID-19 Pandemic, MIT Media Lab, A Few Simple Tips for Better Online Meetings (COVID-19 edition).
