“The Hope Pandemic” series addresses the changing business climate and how we can go digital and shape a new world of sustainability, kindness and community.
The new lockdown has us working via virtual meetings, whether its using Zoom or Microsoft Teams or other solutions.
I’ve found some meetings work well, while others are messy and unfocused. Here are some of my insights on how to improve results.
1. Protocols
Set meeting protocols and communicate expectations to all participants prior to start.
2. Punctuality
Ask all participants to arrive on time as it can be disruptive for people to catch up mid meeting.
3. Mute everyone
This is especially important if you have a big group. Background clutter from any one mike can be heard by all, so best to unmute when each person is ready to speak.
4. Moderate well
Try to give attendees the opportunity to engage. One way is to capture questions before the session, and to use tools like “raise hand”.
5: Keep things simple
Don’t be tempted to use all the bells and whistles in the meeting platform; the less cluttered the process the better you will keep everyone’s attention.
6. Know the limitations
Realize that digital meetings may not always be necessary, and that sometimes it’s better to communicate using email or tools like Whatsapp or Slack.
And do keep things fluid, fun and engaging 🙂
