Virtual Facilitation Skills to Keep Them Hooked, Not Zoned Out

If you're reading this, chances are you've had to facilitate meetings or workshops virtually

Virtual facilitation requires a whole new set of skills to keep participants engaged, leverage online tools effectively, and still achieve your objectives. As virtual meetings and remote collaboration become more commonplace (especially since the COVID-19 pandemic), leveling up your virtual facilitation game is essential.

Through my work with teams across different industries, I've gathered some hard-won tips and best practices for facilitating exceptional virtual sessions.

Ready to up your virtual facilitation game? Then you should consider the following.

1. Set the Stage with the Right Tools

In a physical room, your facilitation materials are fairly straightforward: printouts, sticky notes, markers, etc. But online, the tools you use can make or break the experience.

Whether using Zoom, Teams, WebEx or others, get to know the quirks and functionalities like the back of your hand through practice sessions. This allows you to troubleshoot issues seamlessly and nimbly adapt activities on the fly.

For example, in Zoom, you can use features like Breakout Rooms for small group work, whites boards for ideation exercises, and polls to gauge the group's perspective quickly. Get comfortable muting/unmuting all, screensharing, and spotlighting speakers as a virtual facilitator.

2. Start with a Dynamic Presence

You may not be able to make the big dramatic entrances you could in a physical room, but your virtual presence and energy are critical for hitting the ground running and sustaining engagement.

Some tips for projecting a dynamic virtual presence:

• Dress with intentionality (solid colors, good lighting) to appear polished on camera
• Have a tidy, distraction-free background that allows you to be the main focus
• Look squarely at the camera (not the screen) to achieve simulated eye contact
• Vary your tone, pitch, volume, and pauses for emphasis throughout
• Move and gesture deliberately, within the camera frame

You may feel a bit performative at first, but ultimately your participants will appreciate the energy and enthusiasm you're bringing to combat any video call lulls.

3. Engage Your Participants Early and Often

We've all zoned out during one too many droning monologues on Zoom calls. As a virtual facilitator, your primary job is to maximise engagement through interactive activities, discussions, and dynamic digital content.

My personal favourite to start a virtual meeting is the 1-2-4 All technique. I like it as gets people speaking in small groups quickly.

Other ways ways to foster interactivity include:

• Using the chat liberally for warmups, pulse checks, and backchannel conversations
• Leveraging digital whiteboards (Mural, Miro, etc.) for brainstorms and collective note-taking
• Passing the mic frequently by calling on people to spark discussions
• Using breakout rooms for small group exercises, then pulling groups back for report outs

The more interactive elements you build into each segment of your session, the more participants will stay tuned in.

4. Read the (Digital) Room

One major challenge of virtual facilitation is being able to effectively read the room and respond to group dynamics. You have to be hyper-vigilant to digital body language (if the screen is on) and actively compensate for the limitations of video conferences.

Pay close attention to:

• Monitoring the chat and reactions for real-time check-ins on comprehension and energy levels
• Watching for more subtle cues like posture changes or darting eyes (which could signal disengagement)

Ideally you should have a co-facilitator or producer specifically to keep an eye on these participant cues so you can fully focus on facilitating (especially if you are sharing your screen and unable to see participants).

Don't be afraid to call out what you're picking up: "I'm noticing some glazed over looks, let's shake it up with a quick activity!" Naming and navigating group dynamics is key.

5. Handle Technical Glitches Gracefully

Technical issues are almost inevitable, so it's essential to handle them with grace and patience.

I advise that you have a backup plan in place. If your primary platform fails, be ready to switch to another one. Communicate clearly with your participants about what to do if they experience technical difficulties, such as providing a phone number they can call for support.

Bonus Tip....Keep Your Energy Up!

Your energy sets the tone for the session. Even if you're feeling a bit drained, try to stay upbeat and enthusiastic. Your participants will feed off your energy, making the session more engaging for everyone.

Facilitating virtually is an increasingly vital skill for today's remote and distributed workforce. With preparation, interactivity, and an engaging virtual presence, you'll be able to guide productive, collaborative sessions across any video conference platform.

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