Despite the COVID-19 epidemic the majority of people still attend governance meetings via the internet. While this may be an inconvenience for those who prefer to attend in person, it’s a great opportunity for administrations to demonstrate their flexibility and civic engagement.
The most important thing is to ensure that the appropriate technology is in place to enable participation that includes video, voice and screen sharing being key components. Many organizations have resort to emailing packs of data with attachments or file-sharing solutions with folders that need to be downloaded, but they do not have the capacity to support the structured process of agenda items including recording and distribution of historic information etc.
Other challenges are that it’s difficult to engage in the casual conversations that usually accompany meetings that are held in person. It is also an important method to build relationships and trust. By opening the meeting early, including time for informal conversations or using the chat function within your virtual meeting platform, you will be able to help create the relationships that are essential for a solid and effective governance.
Governance meetings can also be beneficial for adjusting Roles and responsibilities as new members join the team the team, their roles change or new work requires attention. This will stop these discussions from stealing other meetings and allow the team to be productive and efficient.