5 Star Strategies To Increase Engagement in Online Meetings (and beyond!)

Virtual meetings are here to stay, so whether you're a manager, educator, or someone who just wants to connect more meaningfully, three practical truths:

1. It's harder to connect & engage online so meaningful online connection demands more work
2. People who are physically distant often are also emotionally distant so meaningful online connection demands more emotional intelligence
3. Online life is draining so meaningful online connection demands more energy/fun

Workplaces are more complex, particularly with hybrid, and that added complexity makes all this harder. Fortunately, emotional intelligence helps. Unfortunately, it's declining .

Since covid hit, I've redesigned and then re-redesigned over 200 hours of rich interactive in-person learning for Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence Coach, Facilitator, Educator & Consultant Certification programs . These are the advanced classes that consistently earned over 4.5/5 - we said would never work online... and they are, and getting even better feedback now. From this 2 years of work, here are 10 of my favorite strategies that you can use in meetings, classes, or even just for fun:

5. Focus in an interactive doc

We use this in courses and meetings as we used to use a whiteboard or flipchart to provide a focus. The interactive doc is better because it's also meeting agenda and notes.

Just as you would in any good meeting planning, be clear in your agenda what's for discussion and what's for decisions. Include relevant links, and list your questions. Make a table where people can each put their thoughts. Actively use it in the meeting, eg "We'll take 5 minutes for everyone to read part 2, and put your initial ideas in the chart."

4. Vary the groupings

While this might be obvious, you have a lot of options of configurations of groups... solo reflection time (as in the example above), pairs or trios, teams that prepare and then mix (eg "you'll meet in groups of 3, then group 1 will debate group 2... group 3 will debate group 4... the instructions are all in the interactive meeting doc").

3. Vary the tech

Another "blinding flash of the obvious" is that we have a lot of different tech. You can use one of those cool "cocktail bar" apps, group video, audio-only meetings (I know, right? Old school conference calls are back!) What about a text-only Slack confab?

One of my favorites is pair-conversations by phone... preferably with a walk. For example, after discussing a topic in an online group, pair people up, have them walk-and-talk to discuss the various ideas and then report back on the interactive doc.

2. "Flip" the meeting

Even back in '19 some schools were doing "flipped classrooms" where lectures were at-home videos, and classrooms were for interaction. You can do the same in a meeting.

Your interactive doc can guide. Write up the issue. Present arguments. Provide links. Ask a question... then build a habit that the group will dig into this doc the day before the meeting, and come to the meeting already well into the topic.

1. Share stories

Set aside time for storytelling. It's a "tale as old as time." A simple, effective format is: Please come to the meeting prepared to share a 2-minute story about a time when ____ (eg You hated work. You loved work. You experienced great customer service. You experienced horrible customer service. You learned something. You failed to learn something)

Tips for stories:

• Keep it simple. This is something humans have done "forever."
• These can be done in small groups for greater intimacy.
• People will be more honest after someone's already been more honest (perhaps that's you?)
• It helps to have a "no comments" rule -- after the story, say "thank you" or equivalent, but no discussion
• Again, remember to grow and use your emotional intelligence (get your free emotional intelligence profile here )

Bottom Link: Rethink Meeting

As you apply these ideas, it's also valuable to consider: Why are you meeting at all?

If it's just to share information, there are easier, faster, cheaper ways. One thing I hope we're all learning in the pandemic is the paramount importance of relationship. Use your meetings to prioritize sharing, listening, and connecting.