What do you do if virtual collaboration hinders senior stakeholder management?

Post pandemic, it is vital for any organization to be agile and hence virtual collaboration is as much critical as in-person collaboration. In case there are hinderances to achieve success thru virtual collaborations, one of key actionable required is to assess the gaps, revisit the strategy of the company, identify key players who can help bridge that gap, can be managers/ engagement leaders and look at tools which will enable cross collaboration. At the end of the day, if an organization limits itself to in-person collaboration, it also limits its scope for having better talent on teams, as talent culture is changing, we will have more Gig workers who bring more talent and are cost efficient to the table!

In my experience, along with getting tools for collaboration, a brief training sessions for stakeholders are necessary to ensure everyone is getting the most out of the current tools. Excellent tools combined with strong communication and clear expectations make collaboration smooth.

It never hurts to first test your pitch/presentation with your peers. Audience understanding is vital. When meeting with the senior stakeholders, it is nice to have an aura filled with skills and etiquettes. If you are presenting a deck, ensuring the animations and transitions are not overdone, and has a purpose, you share the right screen/window, you time yourself well. You virtual etiquettes and meeting flows should change when meeting with your project team, cross-functional team, managers, and leadership to suit their need and requirements.

Environment fosters engagement. It would be better if you know what their technical ability is and I would suggest not to walk miles ahead to showcase your prowess but hold hand and show. It is always interesting for senior stakeholders to engage using live interaction tools. You can start off with a bit generic fun questions so they know how to respond and be a part of it. Also you can share your screens and use annotations and zoom-in features to show how can they do it on their end. Starting off meetings with casual chitchats about personal preferences and a low-key banter takes you a long way.

An important aspect of optimising the meetings is not just having a clear agenda, ensuring we do not walk away from the agenda, and ending the meeting on-time, but to also keeping it upbeat, asking open-ended questions or close-ended questions based on time, number of participants, and requirement of the call, and ensuring that at the end we save 5 minutes to revisit the points and communicating clear action items and timelines for delivery before the next meeting. The last feeling you want the participants of the meeting is - THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AN EMAIL when they join a meeting organised by you.

Personalize Communication: Tailor your communication to the preferences and communication styles of senior stakeholders. Some may prefer emails, while others may prefer video calls or phone calls. Provide Clear Expectations: Clearly communicate expectations for senior stakeholders regarding their involvement and contributions in virtual collaboration efforts. This can help manage their time and ensure their engagement is meaningful. Establish Trust: Build trust with senior stakeholders by delivering on commitments, being transparent in your communications, and demonstrating competence in virtual collaboration.

Manage Time Zones: If your senior stakeholders are in different time zones, be mindful of scheduling meetings at times that are convenient for everyone. Consider rotating meeting times to accommodate different time zones. Use Visual Aids: In virtual meetings, use visual aids such as slides, diagrams, or charts to make information more engaging and easier to understand for senior stakeholders. Encourage Feedback: Create opportunities for senior stakeholders to provide feedback on virtual collaboration efforts. This can help you identify areas for improvement and make adjustments accordingly.

Celebrate Successes: Acknowledge and celebrate achievements and milestones in virtual collaboration efforts with senior stakeholders. This can help maintain motivation and engagement over time. Stay Connected: Maintain regular communication with senior stakeholders outside of formal meetings to keep them informed and engaged in virtual collaboration efforts. Seek Support: If virtual collaboration continues to hinder senior stakeholder management, consider seeking support from experts or consultants who specialize in virtual collaboration strategies.