How do you set clear expectations and goals for virtual meetings?

1 Define the purpose and agenda

Before you invite anyone to a virtual meeting, you should have a clear idea of what you want to achieve, and how you will structure the meeting. Write down the purpose and the agenda of the meeting, and share them with the participants in advance. This will help them prepare, prioritize, and participate more effectively. You can use a collaboration tool like Google Docs, Trello, or Asana to create and share the agenda, and update it as needed.

2 Choose the right platform and tools

Depending on the type and size of your meeting, you may need different platforms and tools to facilitate communication, collaboration, and feedback. For example, you may use Zoom, Skype, or Teams for video conferencing, Slack, WhatsApp, or Telegram for instant messaging, and Miro, Jamboard, or Padlet for brainstorming and ideation. You should choose the platform and tools that best suit your needs, and make sure that everyone has access and knows how to use them. You should also test them before the meeting, and have a backup plan in case of technical issues.

3 Set ground rules and norms

To ensure that your virtual meeting runs smoothly and respectfully, you should establish some ground rules and norms for the participants. For example, you may ask them to mute their microphones when not speaking, turn on their cameras if possible, use the chat or raise hand feature to ask questions, and avoid multitasking or distractions. You should communicate these rules and norms before the meeting, and remind them at the start of the meeting. You can use a collaboration tool like Poll Everywhere, Mentimeter, or Kahoot to create and share interactive polls, quizzes, or surveys to check the participants' understanding and agreement on the rules and norms.

4 Assign roles and responsibilities

To foster engagement and accountability in your virtual meeting, you should assign roles and responsibilities to the participants. For example, you may designate a facilitator, a note-taker, a timekeeper, a presenter, or a moderator for each meeting. You should clarify what each role entails, and how they will contribute to the meeting's goals. You can use a collaboration tool like Google Sheets, Airtable, or Monday to create and share a spreadsheet or a dashboard that shows the roles and responsibilities of each participant, and track their progress and feedback.

5 Review and summarize the outcomes

At the end of your virtual meeting, you should review and summarize the outcomes, and make sure that everyone is clear on the next steps. You should highlight the key points, decisions, actions, and deadlines that emerged from the meeting, and ask for confirmation or clarification from the participants. You can use a collaboration tool like Google Slides, Prezi, or Canva to create and share a presentation or a infographic that summarizes the outcomes, and send it to the participants after the meeting. You should also solicit feedback from the participants on how to improve your virtual meetings in the future.

6 Follow up and follow through

The last step to setting clear expectations and goals for your virtual meetings is to follow up and follow through on the outcomes. You should check in with the participants regularly, and monitor their progress and challenges. You should also acknowledge their achievements, and celebrate their successes. You can use a collaboration tool like Gmail, Outlook, or Mailchimp to send personalized and timely emails to the participants, and use a collaboration tool like Slack, Teams, or Workplace to create and join channels or groups where you can share updates, resources, and recognition.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?