These days, I’m always on a Zoom meeting. At least I feel like I am. The coronavirus pandemic contributes to that.
For you, maybe the virtual meeting is via Skype or Microsoft Meetings or some other video conferencing program. Which platform isn’t important.
I read an article in Harvard Business Review that laid out some guidelines for “virtual language” to use during these virtual meetings.
Here are some of the tips I use to have better, more productive virtual meetings (and better meetings lead to better outcomes):
6 ideas to use
- If you’re going to share a video during the virtual meeting, try it out ahead of time.
- Don’t make the meeting longer than it has to be, just because you have the material. People have other things to do.
- Call on people. Get them involved. Ask their opinions during the meeting.
- Don’t multitask. Be present. It’s no different than an in-person meeting. If you were in a conference room with your team, you wouldn’t take care of your latest Amazon order on your laptop during the meeting.
- Be professional. Don’t wear pajamas to your virtual meeting just because you’re at home.
- Lean into the camera. Don’t lean back in your chair. Leaning into the camera helps you look and stay engaged with the meeting.
(Justin Hoover, Industrial Hygienist, Steel Dynamics Inc., Fort Wayne, IN, at the Virtual AIHce EXP 2020)