Virtual Meeting Setup & the Pitfalls for the Knowledge Worker

In the rise of the knowledge worker, meetings became omnipresent. For a good reason. More diverse groups drive better results, produce more innovative ideas, and enhance the feeling of belonging.

Therefore, a great amount of our work needs those sessions. We have meetings to inform people about a given situation, upfront changes, planned decisions or current state of work. We have discussions to align on topics, like a deliverable for the client or performance feedback with one of our employees. We have collaboration sessions to brainstorm on latest ideas or finding solutions for current challenges. And somehow, we tend to find time for small talk all in between, to get to know each other.

While we′ve been used to work in the office, depending on the target for the meeting, the settings have been adjusted accordingly. For information towards a broad audience, town hall meetings or huge meeting rooms facing the speakers have been booked. For private discussions, closed rooms with a tiny group of people have been the setup of choice. And for collaboration, we′ve used a more open approach, with brown paper or whiteboards, with informal discussions and with someone moderating those talks. And based on the required outcome, the meeting time has been prepared accordingly. Open questions for the brainstorming or a crisp and clear presentation for the project status. Depending on the content, a formal information has been sent out after the meeting to all those affected, or meeting minutes have been gathered by the moderator and the stakeholders or participants have been informed.

Nowadays, due to the global pandemic and the increased digitization, there seems to be only one type of meeting, and that’s video call. And therefore, the distinguishing borders & limits between those types of meeting do no longer exist. It′s always possible to just add one more person, to adjust the approach of the current session, or to lose focus on the initial idea. Therefore, open discussions tend to replace more formal structures because it′s easy. It′s not necessary to prepare an open discussion, no one is in charge for the results of the discussion and if the 30-minute time slot hasn′t been enough, we just plan a follow-up for further discussions. We can call anyone else in, because she might just add some more relevant points to the current topic or have a new fancy idea to consider. And while nothing to prepare, we can do more meetings, back-to-back, which seems to be necessary, because there is so much to discuss.

Of course, my picture is exaggerated, but maybe a critical reflection of our very own habits regarding meetings. Do I know the reason and target for the meeting? Are the participants correctly chosen? Has the meeting been prepared accordingly? Do I add any value to the session?

Because as crucial as collaboration is, most value is created in silence.

Preparation for any kind of alignment dramatically increases the speed for decision making, key questions to answer for collaboration focus the discussions on necessary elements and meeting minutes help everyone to keep track of progress. We are called knowledge worker, because we are paid for our knowledge and experience, but thinking and careful consideration is something we need to do alone. And therefore, we must protect our time. We are paid for the value we bring to the marketplace. And often, a well-prepared e-mail or a few slides in PowerPoint might do the trick as well.

And if you just want to talk, that′s totally fine and in the current times very valuable in itself. But acknowledge it and let the other participants know in advance, so they can decide themselves, if this session fits their schedule.