Whether large or small, all companies encounter emergencies. In these times, leadership needs to decide how to handle the challenge. While you can't plan for every emergency, you can establish a framework for handling unforeseen events.
With steps for an emergency meeting in place, you can immediately convene and start working on the problem. The following article offers a closer look at how to carry out such meetings.
What is an emergency meeting?
Emergency meetings are called when a crisis requires immediate action. If unsolved, the problem will disrupt normal operations. Such conferences often have to take place right after the emergency is discovered.
Obviously, emergency meetings aren't like regular meetings. Board members are notified of scheduled meetings well in advance. However, luxuries like planning ahead and addressing scheduling conflicts beforehand aren't possible for emergency meetings. You have to get right to the heart of the matter.
When may an emergency meeting be called?
Emergency meetings are necessary to address disruptions that could cause damage to the company if not resolved immediately. However, there needs to be a very compelling reason before you ask everyone to drop their daily duties and attend the meeting.
The board of a company has a duty to protect the organization's interests, so an emergency meeting should be called only if immediate action is necessary to fulfill that duty.
Statutory and bylaw triggers: the formal justifications
Companies have bylaws that provide guidelines for leadership to decide when to call an emergency meeting. Such rules usually allow a CEO or a group of board members to call a meeting when something threatens a company's assets or operations.
Real-world examples of valid grounds
What could make an emergency meeting necessary? Examples might include a cyberattack, the resignation of an important executive, a natural disaster that disrupts company operations, or a controversy that could irreparably damage a company's reputation.
How to schedule an emergency meeting? Step-by-step guide
Once you decide the situation is an emergency, you have to meet very quickly. The person who can call the meeting has a very short window to take a few key steps.
Before the meeting
Do a small amount of prep before anyone joins the call.
Step 1: Verify authority and justify the emergency
The first step in the process is to decide if a meeting is actually necessary. Any executives, board members, or authorized group with the authority to call a meeting must decide. If the issue can cause serious harm by waiting, then it calls for immediate action.
Step 2: Draft and send a short meeting notice
If you decide to proceed, write a short meeting notice and send it to everyone who must attend. In the notice, briefly explain why this is an emergency and why you are allowed to call the meeting. You can quote policies or bylaws that state who can make emergency decisions and in which situations.
Step 3: Confirm attendance and quorum
Use one place to track who received the notice and who can attend. Ask each recipient to confirm if they can join, and record their answer.
A quorum is essential for emergency meetings. The quorum is the minimum number of people needed to make a binding vote.
During the meeting
Everyone involved needs to understand the expectations during an emergency meeting. What needs to happen? What is the process for making decisions? How do you keep a record of what happens when these important decisions are made?
Voting procedures and proper documentation
Voting procedures typically include presenting the item (motion) that you're voting on, debating and refining the motion, and presenting it for a binding vote.
The meeting should have detailed records of what was said and the decisions made. Today, AI-powered note takers like Plaud Note Pro can record the conversation and produce complete records and summaries of the discussion, decisions, and votes.
Document and record-keeping
Plaud solves record-keeping issues by ensuring everything is documented, stored, and easily shared. Users get time-stamped records that create a clear paper trail. Plaud also delivers summaries that ensure everyone is aware of the decisions made and the next steps in the emergency response process.
If you have any questions about voting or procedures, you can review the transcripts or summaries to verify the details of the meeting.
After the meeting
The decisions during the emergency are meant to address the problem. It's important to have a plan for implementing such decisions, so they deliver the results you want.
Confirm the next steps
Emergency meetings should produce actionable steps. It's essential to confirm the steps and define any details required to carry them out. Ideally, these decisions should be handled during the meeting.
Tips: The legal requirements for holding an emergency meeting
It's important to understand the governing codes for meetings, votes, and decision-making. With proper records, such as AI transcription and notes from Plaud, every detail will be recorded. Because of this, it's important to ensure all requirements laid out by governing codes are met.
Notification requirements are also important. Before the meeting even starts, you need to ensure you meet any requirements for notifying attendees. Rules include who to notify about the emergency meeting and the methods of notification (email, follow-up phone call, etc).
What to do before a crisis happens: Advanced planning
You can't predict when an emergency will happen, but you can plan how to respond when one occurs.
Advanced planning for potential emergency meetings
You can lay out the steps for notifications, meeting agendas, and voting beforehand. This will streamline the process so you can focus on solutions rather than worrying about bylaws or compliance.
Addressing unforeseen circumstances
It's also vital to create guidelines for addressing emergencies. These should include first defining the issue and then focusing all conversations and votes on a solution.
Unfamiliarity with emergency protocols
Avoid confusion by defining emergency protocols in writing.
Key aspects of an emergency board meeting (during the meeting)
The exact content of emergency board meetings might vary, depending on the emergency, but each one will have similar aspects.
Purpose and agenda of an emergency board meeting
The purpose of the meeting should be clearly defined, and the person organizing it should set the agenda to ensure the discussion stays on track and addresses the problems.
Roles and responsibilities of the board members
Certain executives and board members may have specific duties during the meeting. These should be pre-defined to avoid any confusion once proceedings start.
Audio-visual tools for intuitive management
The focus of the meeting should be on the emergency. Any audio-visual tools should be in place beforehand. You can test video equipment, note-taking software, and other tools to ensure they will work without a hitch when needed.
Common mistakes and solutions in holding an emergency meeting
You will undoubtedly encounter specific issues during the meeting. If you expect them beforehand, they will be easier to handle.
Lack of clear direction
Meetings should always focus on solving the problem at hand. This issue should be clearly defined beforehand, and the meeting should focus on solving it. There shouldn't be a mention of anything that isn't related to addressing the emergency.
Poor communication
The meeting needs to focus on solutions for the emergency. Poor communication can complicate the process of finding a solution to the emergency. It's up to those running the meeting to ensure everything stays on track and the conversation concentrates on actionable solutions.
Technical difficulties
Technical difficulties can take different forms. It could be a problem with video conferencing software during a remote meeting. Or, it could mean issues with transcription or note-taking software. These issues could make it difficult for members to participate or keep the records necessary to ensure compliance.
Emotional decision-making
Emergencies require quick decisions. However, solutions should be based on reason, data, and precedent. It might be tempting to give in to fear or other emotions. Still, meeting participants should take the time to explain the reasoning for their suggestions to avoid letting emotions dictate actions.
The role of the board in emergency meetings
The roles for the meeting should be clearly defined.
- The chair ensures procedures are followed. This person also verifies the quorum, mediates the conversation, and pushes the meeting to a formal vote on the emergency actions.
- The secretary should make a detailed, accurate legal record of the meeting. This is necessary to ensure the meeting complies with both company and legal codes.
- Board members have to be prepared, participate in the meeting, and come up with solutions that address the emergency (and nothing else).
Clearly defined roles help the emergency meeting proceed smoothly.
Conclusion
It is important to have a framework for emergency meetings so you can call one when needed without worrying about compliance issues or misunderstandings among those who have to attend.
In addition to covering all your planning and compliance bases, it's important to have tools like Plaud to collect key information during the meeting.
FAQs
What do you call an urgent meeting?
Urgent meetings are not regularly scheduled. They are called to address issues that require immediate attention but do not pose a significant threat to the organization if left unresolved.
Is it an emergency or emergent meeting?
Emergency meetings address critical issues that are about to happen or are already happening. The problem is serious enough that the meeting takes precedence over normal operations. Emergent meetings are also time-sensitive. However, addressing the issue immediately is not critical to operations.
How do you write an emergency meeting notice?
The notice should make it clear that the meeting is to address an issue that requires immediate attention. It should explain the problem and why it is an emergency. The message should clearly state the time and location for the meeting.
