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Tips for getting the very best out of your virtual meetings
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the largest work-from-home experiment in history.
The use of video meeting and conferencing software such Zoom and Microsoft Teams have become instrumental in providing effective communication between team members. For several years, organisations have reduced overheads by shrinking office space requirements, implementing ‘hot-desking” and encouraging some staff to work from home. However, few have been brave enough to take remote working forward on a company wide basis.
The pandemic has forced the hands of company leaders. With video communication, it is possible to meet up with teams comprising of up to any number of people required. Organisations can host anything from the weekly briefing meetings where leaders can stay connected with their teams to conferences with thousands of attendees.
Good leadership is required when organising and running a successful meeting. This has generally been accepted for face-to-face live meetings run in a corporate setting. We at LPT recognise the importance of Leadership when organising and conducting a meeting and feel the need for good Leadership has become even more important during this era of remote online meetings. We do not have the benefit of eye to eye contact or being able to read peoples’ non-verbal communication.
I recently have had to attend a number of online meetings which on occasion have left me with a sense of uneasiness. I, and other team members, found it difficult to put forward any relevant thoughts or ideas. This was down to the leader of the meeting not appearing to acknowledge the participation of the attendees properly. We are all well aware of what can happen to an individual who feels left out of the team, this can lead to their demotivation.
If we are unable to meet up with our teams, we must make the best use of our online meetings as it is one of the few opportunities for us to exhibit good leadership in front of the team. If we follow sound principles for organising and running meetings, then we can ensure our online interactions are successful.
Preparation before the meeting is vital.
In order to help you plan and manage your virtual meetings, we have pulled together a checklist of key items to help ensure a process that will ensure all tasks are addressed and all team members feel as if they have been given the appropriate platform to voice their opinions and any concerns.
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