Please click here to read Part 2: https://baldwinav.com/top-3-benefits-of-baldwins-virtual-meetings/
There’s nothing worse than a meeting that seems to be going nowhere or is taking up too much time and you’ve still got an entire day’s worth of work to do. That’s why making sure your virtual meetings make the most of themselves is not only important but requires a little bit of practice! It may be uncomfortable at the start as you and your team navigate the nuances of these virtual meeting norms, but we can’t always wait to discuss the tough stuff in-person if in-person is not feasible.
We’re not saying to make your first virtual meeting one that treads into or covers controversial territory. Instead, you should be practicing them whenever and wherever you can in order to figure out what works and doesn’t work for yourself, colleagues, and clients. Here are Baldwin Audio/Visual Solutions’ top five tips to make your virtual meetings click!
- The power of story
At the end of the day, we’re all human… we’re dynamic and imperfect so there’s no point in pretending otherwise. Simple things at the beginning of a meeting like taking the time to ask how everyone is doing and checking in on known difficulties (if appropriate and in a smaller or tighter audience). Try and set the scope and intention of a meeting with narrative hooks — maybe it’s an icebreaker or relevant anecdote, it could also be a reference to something topical. Starting out this way gets your audience intrigued and primed, which is an ideal way to start a meeting!
- The value of video
Using video-based abilities of virtual meeting technologies (over the audio-only option) is key to helping make people feel like they’re all at the “same” meeting. Although not sharing the same physical space, being able to see people’s faces, expressions, and body language goes long way in terms of connection and communication efficacy. There are always exceptions to the rule however so be sure to provide audio-only options for people where connection strength might be an issue.
- Set clear objectives
Even prior to the meeting starting set clear objectives in any related communications and prepare a pre-read if appropriate or cases with larger numbers of people. The more people in a meeting and the more topics covered automatically creates the need for more structure and organization for efficient time management. Use an agenda, set meeting ground rules, take breaks, and outline the next steps clearly. At the end of the meeting, set objectives for the next encounter. If done correctly, and the conversation remains focused, you’ll have more time to discuss potential action.
- Have a meeting facilitator
Keeping in line with the last point on the structure, things can become more complex with more meeting attendees and agenda items. In these cases, it’s important to assign a facilitator to manage any question submissions, make use of real-time polling, and ensure that the meeting lead(s) and presenter(s) can stay focused and cover everything they need to. In smaller meetings, this step may not be as necessary but is a great time to practice for these larger cases!
- Engagement and callouts
Get people involved by periodically calling on them to speak. Before finalizing a decision or important item, go around the table to ensure that everyone has their chance for input. Having a meeting structure that involves people creates buy-in amongst them. If using real-time chat and polling features, make sure to leave the necessary time to go over and analyze the feedback. If you’re taking a proactive approach, you might even do a debrief about the experience (e.g. what went well, what didn’t, how can the structure be evolved to make the meeting more productive?).
Baldwin Audio/Visual Solutions can provide you with the technology solutions and expert advice needed to make the transition to these virtual meeting solutions. We also provide entire virtual conferencing solutions that can satisfy complex event schedules and large attendee numbers. Contact us today to learn more about virtual meetings and Baldwin’s solution services!