How can you ensure your virtual meeting is effective?

El día de hoy está lleno de "juntitis" dónde muchas personas ya han perdido el sentido de para que es una junta donde presencial o virtualmente se reúne cierto número de personas. Si tú vas a ser el organizador de una reunión, debes de tener muy claro el motivo por el cual se va a convocar a una junta y quienes deberán atender dicha junta y cuál será el entregable al finalizar la reunión, esto también para definir la duración adecuada de la misma. El compartir previo a la junta cuál es el motivo de la junta y que se espera obtener al final de la misma, dará más perspectiva a los asistentes y de algún modo ir compartiendo ideas o puntos de vista para desarrollar ya en la reunión.

To ensure an effective virtual meeting, start by setting clear objectives and an agenda beforehand. Choose a reliable video conferencing platform and ensure all participants have access and understand how to use it. Encourage active participation by engaging attendees with questions and discussions. Keep the meeting concise and focused, avoiding unnecessary tangents. Share relevant documents or presentations in advance and use screen-sharing during the meeting for visual aids. Manage time effectively and allocate breaks for longer meetings to maintain engagement. Lastly, gather feedback after the meeting to identify areas for improvement and ensure continuous enhancement of virtual meeting effectiveness.

Leading remote teams, especially across time zones, can be tricky! When I managed a program with teams in 6 countries, clear agendas were key. Defining topics and questions beforehand ensured focused discussions. This saved time and kept everyone engaged, despite the time differences.

When it comes to ensuring an effective virtual meeting, it's crucial to follow a comprehensive strategy which you refine over time through feedback loops from the attendees. Things to consider to mark effectiveness includes establishing clear objectives, utilising reliable technology, preparing an agenda, limiting attendees to mandatory and optional, managing time efficiently, encouraging participation, using visual aids, minimising distractions and providing a summary with actionable items afterwards. Embracing this holistic approach fosters increased engagement, productivity, and accountability in remote collaboration. The iterative feedback from the attendees allows you to continuously improve until you find a working proces for all.

Ensure effective virtual meetings: 1. Set clear agenda, objectives, and time limits 2. Use collaboration tools for screen sharing, notes 3. Encourage active participation and feedback 4. Manage distractions and ensure attentiveness 5. Follow up with action items and next steps 6. Continuously evaluate and improve the process This comprehensive approach keeps virtual meetings focused, productive, and engaging.

Virtual meetings can be powerful, but planning is key! In a recent project with a geographically dispersed team, I used a clear agenda and purpose to keep a kickoff meeting focused. We identified goals, deliverables, and success metrics upfront. Choosing the right tools was crucial. Since the team was comfortable with MS Teams and ASANA, it ensured easy participation and screen sharing for brainstorming. By testing the platform beforehand and providing clear instructions, everyone felt prepared. The meeting was a success, setting the stage for a productive project.

I follow these 5 rules: 1. Set a Clear Agenda 2. Choose the Right Technology 3. Establish Ground Rules 4. Engage Participants 5. Summarize and Follow Up

En mi experiencia se debe adecuar uno a las herramientas de la organización y utilizarlas a tu favor para poder sacarle el máximo provecho. Pero si no tienes herramientas en las organización te aconsejo que busques plataformas que te permitan colaborar además de las ya habituales camaras encendidas, compartir pantalla entre otras funcionalidades propias de la herramienta.

It’s important that the meeting invite has a written agenda so all attendees understand the goals of the meeting and what is expected from each of them before and during the meeting. If anything is needed from attendees before the meeting, they should be aware of that. As a meeting coordinator, ensure that you are checking in with team members during the meeting and that their input is being heard. Action items to address after the meeting should also be captured in a written record, assigned to specific team members with deadlines.

Right people at the right time with defined agenda and clear purpose is crucial for a successful meeting. Think about the right contributors and how to involve them in the right way to make use of the precious time of all participants: maybe it makes sense to give a topic to prepare or invite certain people only for a specific part of the meeting. Be creative and flexible to make the most out of it!

Engagement is key! Without active team participation, virtual meetings become inefficient. Unlike in-person gatherings, they face distractions, interruptions, and a lack of non-verbal cues. To overcome this, it's necessary to plan and facilitate the meeting in a way that encourages participation, interaction, and feedback. Utilize strategies such as setting rules and expectations, asking open and relevant questions, using icebreakers and energizers, acknowledging and responding to comments, providing praise, using polls and surveys, creating breakout rooms and groups, and summarizing key points.

En mi experiencia es importante incluir únicamente a las personas claves para evitar tener un grupo grande. y que de manera virtual no se pueda tener una interacción con todos los participantes. Esto hace que la reunión sea lo mas interactiva posible porque si es que se ha convocado usualmente es para poder hallar la solución de algún problema presentado. Así mismo no basta con solo agendar el espacio que se pueda ver en un calendario, sino también es importante contactar con cada participante para mostrar tu interés y la necesidad que tienen esas personas en participar además de un breve resumen de lo que tratará para que puedan venir preparados también.

It can be quite devastating to participate in a long meeting and leave with an impression that there was just blah-blah and no further action. Send updates and follow-up on actions to ensure that the meeting that took place was a wise spend of time and the input provided was actually used.

With so many projects, it's easy to forget! Don't let virtual meeting follow-up fall through the cracks. Use project management tools to capture action items, assign tasks, and set deadlines. Following through builds trust and ensures project goals are met!

The effectiveness of your meeting starts before you send the invite. Defining the purpose, including that in the notice, even before having an agenda, and then including the necessary attendees. Once an agenda is in its final stages (if it requires that much drafting) reevaluate the invite list, ensuring you have the necessary few. During the meeting, have someone take notes. This is a great way to develop more junior employees, and allow them visibility and strategic perspectives. Follow up and follow through after are absolutely important. If the meeting has no tasks assigned, then it was a brainstorming session at best.

En mi experiencia es importante conseguir tener una forma de minuta de reunión, sea por correo o por formato, esto dependerá de cada organización pero importante para el seguimiento de los puntos acordados con sus respectivos responsables y fechas compromiso. De ser necesario a?adir en calendario recordatorios o de lo contrario reuniones de follow up cortas de 15min máximo.

I believe in defining a clear purpose and engaging stakeholders throughout the conversation, acknowledging their comments. It’s crucial to conclude the meeting in a way that all stakeholders feel there is a solid output, rather than it being a waste of time. This applies to both in-person and virtual meetings. In virtual meetings, we need to be more careful, asking each stakeholder for their opinion and taking that into account is critical.

Encourage camera use: While not always possible, encouraging participants to turn on their cameras can help foster a sense of connection and engagement. Manage the meeting pace: Be mindful of the pace of the meeting, ensuring it is not too fast or too slow. Allow time for questions and discussions but also keep the meeting moving to cover all agenda items. Address technical issues promptly: Have a plan in place to address any technical issues that may arise, such as audio or video problems, to minimize disruptions. Establish meeting norms: Set expectations for behavior during the meeting, such as raising hands to speak, using the chat function for questions, and respecting others' opinions.

Consider cultural differences: Be aware of cultural differences that may impact communication styles and adjust your approach accordingly to ensure everyone feels included. Practice good meeting etiquette: Start and end the meeting on time, stick to the agenda, and be respectful of others' time by avoiding unnecessary tangents or discussions. Promote inclusivity: Ensure that all participants have the opportunity to speak and contribute to the discussion, especially in larger meetings.

En resumen: 1) Agenda y puntos claves especificos 2) Personas necesarias únicamente 3) Herramientas colaborativas 4) Minuta de reunión con compromisos 5) Seguimiento