“You’re On Mute” - Tips for Leading Effective Virtual Meetings

Most of us have been on so many Zoom, Teams, WebEx, Google Hangouts, BlueJeans and other virtual meetings that we know it when we see it. Effective virtual meetings are really invigorating; bad ones really sap our energy.

Good virtual meetings offer many advantages over traditional in-the-conference-room get togethers, including the ability to leverage the tech for better collaboration through live chats, polling, screen shares and an emerging class of tools. More importantly, many leaders who we interviewed for Leading at a Distance have cited more significant advantages, including more democratized decision making that accelerate cultures of inclusivity and broader and more diverse groups of participants weighing in on issues.

But getting these positive outcomes with virtual meetings often requires more intention, orchestration and preparation than leading in person meetings. Consistency in reasons for meetings, clear agendas, assigned facilitation, punctuality and high energy will improve the effectiveness of your virtual meetings.

Also, it will be wise to adapt the materials to the medium. Think about minimizing your slides and using more imagery than words when you do use a supporting document. And be prepared to communicate differently than when you are in person. Even if it feels a bit weird, it can be helpful to exaggerate your energy level. Ensure that you maintain eye-contact with the camera, rather than looking at the faces on screen. In a separate post on this topic, we shared the secret from Amgen's Lori Johnston, where a communications consultant suggested that you tape a picture of a person who brings you joy next to your camera (trust me, this really works!). In addition, make sure you are using your hands the way you would when speaking in person by bringing them into the field of vision of the camera.

Of course, it's relatively easy to manage yourself in virtual meetings. What about the participant who threatens to bring it all down? We all know the team member who falls into one of several traps that can undermine your efforts. As the facilitator, it will help to be on the lookout for and apply these tips for defusing annoying team members.

1. The Multitasker. Set meeting ground rules up front, including that cameras will be on and people will not multitask. Share a detailed agenda and rely on cold-calling as needed to keep the team engaged.
2. The Noise Bringer. Ask everyone to mute themselves except when speaking. If this person is consistently on the go and bringing background noise, take the time to speak to him or her 1-1 live to understand if it can be a technological fix or if there is a better way to coordinate live meetings with this person’s schedule.
3.  The Disorganized and Late. Many of us are more back-to-back than ever, which causes calls to run over and individuals to be late. Set an example of starting and ending meetings on time (even early). Encourage habitually late team members to join early. Try to shorten 30 minute meetings to 20-25 minutes and 60 minute meetings to 50-55 minutes.
4.  The Interrupter. While a virtual meeting with all attendees on video can help mitigate the interruptions we often experience when some or all individuals are on the phone, we still find certain individuals struggle to speak in turn. As the facilitator, create an order for your team members to respond and focus on ‘coming off of mute’ cues to help make those decisions.
5. The Checked Out. These are the team members who are seen, but not heard, either because they are lacking initiative or having difficulty finding the right time to interject. They will benefit from being assigned a specific agenda item, and as facilitator, you can provide the space to give him or her the floor.

One more thing: managing hybrid meetings. In our experience, if one or more persons are virtual, it is often best to have everyone virtual. If some leaders are in the office, have them dial in from their respective offices. Use in-office time to collaborate with teams who are fully present. That being said, if you do find yourself in a hybrid meeting, ensure you are sticking to the basics of virtual meeting best practices: assign a facilitator and clear agenda, ensure everyone has access to the appropriate content, and distribute air time.

Looking ahead: Microsoft just released their new virtual reality collaboration tool, Microsoft Mesh. Check it out for a glimpse of what our virtual hybrid collaboration experience could look like

Counting on you!! It's a few weeks until our May 25th book release. Thanks to all who have support our book launch so far and if you haven't I would be so appreciative of you pre-ordering a copy of our forthcoming book, Leading at a Distance!)