Effective communication is one of the most significant challenges facing any modern board of directors. Board members may be spread out across cities, provinces, states, and even other countries, and sometimes only meet in person once or twice a year. The barriers to communication this raises can stymie the efforts of even the most willing directors, which is why most high performing boards have turned to technological solutions in order to address these problems.
One of the most important tools for encouraging effective strategic communication is board of directors portal software — an electronic tool that allows directors to receive documents, manage tasks, and communicate with each other securely and efficiently via a desktop or tablet app. Portal software is one of the most innovative management tools on the market, and here are just three of the ways it can improve board communications:
1.Portal Software Makes It Easier To Send And Receive Documents
In order to effectively discharge their duties, board members need to be kept up-to-date on their organization’s performance and position. This means that board secretaries need to keep a steady stream of documents, reports, and memos flowing. Because this information may well be sensitive, they also need to ensure that it is shared in as secure and responsible fashion as possible. With board software, directors have access to any documents uploaded to the portal, and because portals are protecting using state-of-the-art encryption, only directors who have been given clearance can access them.
2.Portal Software Improves Networking Abilities
It is common for board members to go months without being in the same room with each other, and this can create problems when it comes to sharing information and facilitating co-operation between meetings. An effective board is a board that communicates regularly, and board portal software allows directors to chat, annotate, and discuss board business in a secure and transparent fashion.
Not only does this help make individual board members more productive, it also frees up time in the board meeting itself — the more board business the directors can discuss before sitting down together, the more time there will be for higher-level strategic visioning.
3.Portal Software Streamlines Communication
Perhaps one of the greatest strengths of board portals, however, is that they provide a streamlined channel for directors to access everything related to their work on the board. Instead of sifting through hundreds of emails and trying to find the most up-to-date versions of documents, directors can instantly access the documents, annotations, and conversations related to board work. This help directors prepare for board meetings, and it also makes the meetings themselves more seamless as well.
As the Harvard Business Review notes, the difference between a high-performing board and a dysfunctional one often comes down to engagement — how engaged the board members are with each other, and how engaged they are with the mission of the organization itself. But Engagement is impossible without a good communication strategy, and this, in turn, usually relies on strategic use of the best tools and resources available. For this reason, board portal software is a vital tool for any board of directors. By facilitating document delivery, improving networking capacities, and streamlining day-to-day communications, portal software ensures that organizations of all sizes are up to the challenges of business in the 21st century.
