How to host online meetings that boost morale and get engagement

Although we miss them, were pre-pandemic work meetings all that great? Cold coffee, soggy biscuits and awkward conversations while you waited for the same group of unprepared latecomers.

As a newcomer to Canada, in-person networking and business evenings were hell on earth! I talk too much and too fast when I'm nervous. I would meet lots of new people, but after the event I couldn’t tie together faces, names and occupations. I avoided calling people by name in case I got mixed up or pronounced it incorrectly.

On Zoom, I have age-defying lighting and a mug of tea to hide behind. Names are displayed - I find my memory works better with text rather than sounds! I can write notes about the interesting people I meet and quietly Google if the topic everyone is discussing is new to me. Post-it notes around my screen remind me to breathe, ask open-ended questions, and SLOW DOWN!

We all started using Zoom as a temporary, second-best alternative to in-person meetings. But with the right format and facilitator, online meetings make networking, team and client meetings fun and effective. They encourage team members to collaborate and connect, even those who aren’t naturally sociable.

Hosting a fun and professional Zoom meeting is much more than the technology. This what I have learned over the past year while structuring and hosting Zoom webinars for clients.

PLANNING

Don’t set up your guests to fail.

I keep each participant’s camera and microphone on, so they can jump right in to the conversation. So many people start meetings feeling nervous, shy and disorganized - saying hello while you’re on mute just makes it worse. Does it really matter that everyone is talking at once? The meetup starts with a friendly buzz and people quickly settle down.

Include hints and tips on using Zoom in the invitation and define appropriate behaviour like “Turn off your camera and mute during the webinar. Turn on your camera for the Q&A”.

I am not a person who likes being caught by surprise. If a technology or procedure is needed for the meeting, I give links so people can review it. Examples include Kahoot, how to use reactions, how to answer a poll and protocol for breakout rooms.

As someone who is socially anxious, I feel one can never go wrong underestimating someone’s experience and anxiety level.

I always set up a waiting room, with a note to say “check your video and audio while you’re waiting”.

I start meetings 15 minutes early. I invite co-hosts, bosses, guest speakers and key people in first. This gives them time to talk about changes to the agenda and last minute notes. They can sort out their hair and you can point out the bright window behind them. Senior people are often older people, and they appreciate help to make a good impression.

I have a word processor open, with pre-typed responses to put into the chat.

• Land Acknowledgements
• Name and bio of the guest speaker or meeting chairperson
• “Where are you from”
• "Don't forget to add your LinkedIn profile in the chat!"
• Instructions for any polls I’m going to run
• Help and technical support advice and instructions
• Links to useful articles related to the meeting or webinar
• A link to your YouTube channel where the recording will be stored

OPENING THE MEETING

I try to open the meeting to the rest of the participants at least 5-10 minutes before the start time. Everyone has time to settle down, and it staggers the arrivals and hellos. [Don't forget that if new people enter the room, they can't see previous instructions in the chat!]

In the first few minutes, I try to get people to respond even if it is just a reaction, a chat, a wave or a thumbs up.

Every person should feel they have been “recognized” as a participant.

For more formal meetings, I put up an agenda or perhaps an animation of the sponsors logos, or appropriate photo slides. It starts conversations.

For large meetings, I put the icebreaker on the screen as a PowerPoint slide to give people time to think. I have some strict requirements for icebreakers – and it’s all about allowing people to interact at their own anxiety and affiliation level. I never force people to speak.

Some good informal icebreakers:

• Put your hand up if you have a “win” this week. We do three on screen, then I ask everyone else to mention their own in the chat.
• Put your hand up if you’re wearing slippers/have a dog on your lap.
• I show them a new video filter (a frame or hat, or virtual makeup).
• A poll about something positive, or "whats the weather where you are".
• My favourite one is to choose a rock and say why it “spoke” to you.

Finally, once people are settled. I introduce the first official speaker

Then I tell everyone I’m off to check the waiting room (most people don’t realize you can see the waiting room at any time, but it allows me to turn my camera off and breathe after the stress of the start)

DURING THE MEETING

Every meeting, every interaction is different. Spontaneity is important. Task-focused people like me need to be careful about trying to control and organise every action and reaction. Humans are human - they want to let off steam, refuse to speak, chatter on or start talking about their favourite hobby.

be calm. be kind. be professional.

I have a spiral A4 notebook to make notes from social networking meetings. Each new session is a new page, with the date and group name. Before the next session I flip back and read about people I have met before, so I recognise their names and something about what they do. I know I ought to be able to remember people when I've really enjoyed talking to them, but I never assume I will!

Here are some other tips you might find useful.

• I only start recording after the icebreaker, in case it’s too personal.
• To stop myself interrupting, I mute my mic – I really need a mute button in real life!
• For brainstorming, a 5 minute one-person breakout room gives people time to think. Participants who don’t have strong language skills can edit their idea and express it more professionally. That makes them more confident about speaking up!
• Use polls throughout your Zoom. They are an easy way to get engagement and will build consensus and transparency around group decisions.
• If your webinar is educational, use polls to test (and reward) participants. People will be more alert and take notes if they realize there is a question at the end of each section.
• Encourage participants to add their LinkedIn details to the chat. People who need work desperately, might not want to admit that.
• Have at least one networking activity like a breakout room. It gives people a chance to market themselves politely and they are more likely to want to attend the next meeting. Always give participants a task or introductory question to get them started.
• Zoom breakout rooms have complex options, so read up on them. If your participants are on the right device, they can self-select to join topic-based breakout rooms. Or allocate each person an initial room, but allow them to leave and "walk over to join other tables" to meet more people.

MY ZOOM-SPECIFIC PERSONAL TIPS

• A ring light with a cell phone holder and warm/cool LEDs is worth its weight in gold.
• After checking how I am positioned, I turn off self-view.
• I sit back in my chair – it makes it less obvious when I forget to look at the camera
• Pin the guest speaker and the boss to page 1 (preferably for everyone).
• Tidy your desktop just in case you have to share your screen. If you are short of time, put all your icons in one desktop folder so they are easy to restore.
• Virtual makeup works!
• Virtual backgrounds don’t work – you keep losing your ears and people wonder what you are hiding. Rather tidy the room or buy a green screen.
• Never trust the technology
• Always assume you’re being recorded

ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

I am excited about some of the new technologies that can be used in conjunction with Zoom.

• www.ikonospace.com – virtual art galleries
• www.kunstmatrix.com - 3D virtual reality exhibition
• www.wonder.me - social pre-post conference cocktail party
• https://hopin.com
• Whiteboards

CLOSING THE MEETING

I try to say thank you or goodbye in the chat, because the guest speaker will often see that later even if it’s been a hectic session. Every speaker, no matter how experienced, wants to know they made a good impression.

Because I build Learning Management Systems and websites, I already have a place to store the recordings. A private video on YouTube is a good option if the meeting wasn’t confidential.

When I'm the host, I am always the last to leave a meeting - I never shut it off on people lagging. If people want to network, I often say I’m taking off my headphones and going to get some tea so they can finish up more privately.

CONCLUSION

To me a well-run zoom meeting should feel casual and interactive. You are being invited into someone’s sitting room even if it is also their temporary office. I always try to acknowledge a participant’s “work life balance” – whether it’s a painting behind them, a dog that’s barking or a child who needs attention.

I feel one of the positives of the pandemic is that we are acknowledging our non-work personas, our grey hair and our comfortable clothes. I do hope that in-person communications meetings retain that. Oh, and don't forget the name tags so everyone gets addressed by name!