Overcoming communication barriers in virtual teams

Virtual and hybrid teams are here to stay! Not only do we have colleagues we rarely see in person; there are colleagues in all parts of the world that we only interact with virtually. For many people there could be genuine communication barriers: possibly if you are quieter; if you don’t speak English as your first language; that you spend time reflecting on what you will say or culturally you feel uncomfortable speaking over other people - rather you wait until you are asked for your opinion. Adding the virtual setting where non-verbal communication in the room - such as body language; catching other people’s eyes or even indicating to others you wish to speak, make this even more challenging to navigate.

As both a leader or participant of any virtual meeting we need to make adjustments to ensure everyone is included and is heard.

Work I have been doing with an organisation recently has focused on this challenge. There were talented people within a team. This was a hybrid set up because there were team members located all over the country, but also 2 people working overseas.

Here is a case study of me working with this team.

I observed a meeting/virtual call.? It was a chaotic mix of overlapping voices, awkward silences, and dominant speakers driving the conversation. I sent a brief confidential survey to all of the team members, to establish what they felt about the meetings. From this I established the following:

• Frustration that they weren’t well run
• Waste of time
• Difficulty being heard
• Conversation dominated by a couple of people
• Ignored even when ideas put into chat
• Felt devalued within the team

There was clear evidence that these virtual team meetings were ineffective. We needed to create a framework of how to run and participate in these meetings more effectively.? Here are some of the steps taken:

• Set up a framework with ‘rules’ of how the meeting is run and how everyone contributes to the meeting and conversation.?
• Assign one person to be the moderator - to check any comments in chat and read out those contributions
• Have pre-meeting notes (or agenda) so everyone knows what to prepare
• Start the meeting with “we are hear to discuss xx; by the end of the meeting we wish to achieve ***” to keep everyone focused.
• Have a schedule and allocate time for each item
• Aim for 30 or 50 minutes for each meeting; then there is time for team members to have a short break before any other meeting
• Encourage people to use the chat to make comments
• Assign someone else to lead the discussion and ensure everyone has a chance to contribute.?
• Set some ground rules including avoiding interrupting others and only coming off mute when asked.
• I also recommended using an ai tool to take notes of the meeting - I use read.ai so everyone had a summary of what was discussed.

At the follow up meeting, the team fed back:

• They all felt more engaged with the meeting and conversations
• The meetings weren’t considered a waste of time
• There were fewer frustrations from people not being heard
• There was a wider range of opinions shared
• Those who weren’t heard or were ignored before felt valued members of the team.
• The meetings became more productive.

HEY; result!! Simple changes in the approach to these team meetings had increased productivity; engagement and effectiveness. Remember, everyone needs to feel listened to and valued.?

So if you are organising or participating in virtual calls or meetings, what could you do to make them more effective?

Remember: this is the sort of work I do with organisations and teams, so if you are interested in finding out more or discussing the challenges your team are having, why not book a call or email [email protected]

Our next Live event is with film composer William Goodchild who will be discussing the power of music and sound in any storytelling for film. This is such an invaluable discussion; instead of considering words when building stories, this is related to sound, the journey and tension created through music. Some questions we'll be asking include: How do you create a unique and distinctive score for each project? What is the nature of the relationship between Director, Editor and Composer? What is the editorial process (from rough assembly to delivery) and how does this relate to the various musical processes from initial draft to delivered score? You can join us and ask questions by registering. By registering you will receive a recording and summary even if you aren’t able to attend.

This is at 1pm on Friday 28th February.

You can register here https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/yn670yu9RT6YNRg-7aHaiA?

We always love to have interaction, so please come with your questions!

Thank you for reading.

Thank you very much for continuing to support the SuperStar Communicator newsletter.?

About the author:

Susan Heaton-Wright is the founder and creator of the SuperStar Communicator? methodology; international speaker, facilitator, coach, former international opera singer and podcaster.

Susan is best known for empowering emerging leaders all over the world to speak and communicate with clarity, confidence and credibility; through her speeches, by facilitating masterclasses and workshops and by coaching talented individuals. Since 2020 she has delivered virtual masterclasses and workshops to attendees from more than 130 countries world wide and has won a number of awards for her work.

She is curious for any changes in communication changes and especially in a technical world. Keeping the human element in communication is essential for the maximum impact! Susan co-hosts live streamed discussions with business leaders and is the co-host of the SuperStar Communicator Podcast.?

?I facilitate workshops - face to face and virtually on a range of topics:?

• Presentation Skills
• Save money and time with better communication
• Public Speaking
• Assertiveness Skills
• Having difficult conversations
• Women in Leadership Communication
• How to Demonstrate Credibility
• How to be Positively Disruptive
• Networking Skills

These topics are also available as masterclasses.

I also coach talented people on being more impactful for career progression. Do contact me for more information on the one to one coaching services on communication skills I offer.

And as a speaker I deliver speeches on:

• How to demonstrate credibility
• Women in Leadership Communication
• Be a SuperStar Communicator: be seen, be heard, make an impact
• The Hidden Profit Killer: Transforming Poor Communication into Productivity

Why not challenge your communication skills with our 30 Day planner. Purchase here.

When not working, Susan designs and sews her own wardrobe; surfs, swims and plays the viola in an orchestra. She fundraises for the Alzheimers Society, The Isabel Hospice and supports the St Albans PostBoxes Charity.

Why not connect with her on Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/susanheatonwright?

If you wish to arrange a call: you can book here: https://link.lemonadeplan.com/widget/appointment/superstarcommunicator/15m-chat?

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