How to Make the Most of Virtual Meetings
As the business landscape shifts, virtual meetings will continue to be a primary source of communication between brands and clients and internally with employees and co-workers.
Just like any meeting, however, there’s a chance someone will zone out or it will get derailed for one reason or another.
It’s normal and it’s to be expected.
But, I don’t think we should just accept it as fact. Instead, I think we should challenge ourselves to stay engaged and on task during our meetings.
That’s why I’m pulling from my experiences and sharing three high-level tips so you can make the most of your virtual meetings moving forward.
Three Tips to Increase Productivity During Virtual Meetings
Pay Attention
First things first, unless there are extenuating circumstances, make sure each person on the call shares their video. There are many people who don’t and it prevents you from picking up on non-verbals.
That disconnect in not being able to see a person can lead to miscommunication.
This all ties back to the crux of this tip which is the importance of taking stock in how each person involved is responding both verbally and through body language during the meeting.
Paying attention to these factors will help you pivot and get the meeting back on track and moving in the right direction if needed.
Keep Everyone Involved
As I said before, whether in person, on the phone, or over video, people have a tendency to tune out during meetings.
That’s why I always make a point to re-engage everyone on the call and pull them back into the conversation as best as I can.
I recently did three virtual workshops and found that keeping an eye on their individual video screens and asking for input/feedback kept them engaged and motivated.
Sometimes a simple question to get a person’s take will help them recalibrate and get involved again.
Go in with a Gameplan
As they say, fail to plan, plan to fail. This is especially true with virtual meetings and any meeting for that matter.
Before anyone joins, make sure everyone is on the same page and understands the goals and objectives.
You can do this by sending an email ahead of time with the high-level points you want to cover during the meeting.
By managing expectations and setting goals, you’ll keep everyone on task and working more efficiently.
Close your meetings by making sure everyone leaves with a valuable takeaway.
As the leader, offer yours first, but then go around the group and ask for one from each person.
Be sure to keep these three tips in mind before you join your next virtual meeting to increase productivity and team morale.