Here are some proven ways to make your online meetings more interesting, dynamic and fun. With so many of us working remotely, the online meeting has now become a fixture of the typical workday. While virtual, face-to-face interactions can be wonderfully productive, too many online sessions are plagued by the same poor practices that made in-person meetings PC (pre-COVID) long, boring time-wasters. We’ve learned through our own experiences – as both facilitators and participants – that there are tons of ways to create the conditions for a successful online meeting. Fundamental to our proven approach are these three game changers.
- Front-end Loading
There is a direct correlation between the success of your meeting and the amount of time and effort you invest before the session. The first question should always be: “Why are we meeting?” Too often, work groups get together online without a clear understanding of the objectives. If the destination isn’t clear, then you can expect the path to meander aimlessly. We make sure that our clients are crystal clear about what they hope to accomplish. By defining what “success” looks and feels like, we can then work with the client to design the right agenda to get there:- How long does the meeting need to be?
- What information do participants need to have?
- What are the key discussion and decision points?
- What tools or activities will be most effective?
- A clear “why?” is the compass for your successful meeting. It also defines how you’ll evaluate your session after-the-fact.
- Bringing Your “A-Game”
There are some fundamentals about facilitating online that are similar to the in-person meeting – active listening, reading the room, probing with the right questions.
But we’ve also learned that virtual facilitation is different. Unable to feed off the body language and the energy created by others in the room, an online session takes more effort. As facilitators, we’ve recognized that we must bring our “A-Game” to each meeting, and that “extra gear” has to come from within. In the same way that elite athletes and top performers get themselves ready, the online facilitator needs to be mindful about eating well, exercising and getting a good night’s sleep. Standing in front of the screen has also made a big difference in our energy levels while online.
- Make it Fun.
People are people. No matter the group or the topic, we’ve never come across a client that didn’t appreciate the opportunity to have some fun during an online meeting. There are lots of little ways to do that: an engaging icebreaker question, active breaks, amusing images or videos to reinforce key points. In our experience, a work meeting doesn’t have to be “all business;” in fact, we hear from our clients all the time that injecting some fun and creativity helps them be more engaged and productive.
To learn more about our approach to online meetings, please email us meetwell@answermen.com or call 1 800 917 2924 . We’d love to chat!
