As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps the world, many people are of course dealing with greater concerns, such as the health of family, friends, and themselves. But for those free of illness and related burdens, and is working from home, here are some tips for conducting a great virtual meeting.
1. Use the video feature: As a recent article in the Harvard Business Review acknowledges, making virtual meetings work will involve several adjustments, one of which is to always use video rather than just audio, to make participants feel like they are all at the same meeting, as well as to personalize the conversation and keep the participants engaged.
2. Understand the technology: Get familiar with the technology used by your company. Test all the embedded features such as share-screen, mute, and chat buttons. Also, test audio and video settings before your meeting.
3. Keep presentations concise: The only thing worse than a long presentation in person is a long presentation during virtual meetings.
4. Include everyone: If you are leading the meeting, prioritize conversation between participants and make sure that everyone is included. Calling on people to speak in turn is one way around this. Assigning one person to orchestrate who speaks and asks questions can be effective in streamlining the conversations. Allow time during speaking to accommodate any audio lags between speakers.
5. Dress Appropriately: Be well groomed. At least dress professionally from the waist up given that you don’t need to stand. Taking a meeting from home doesn’t mean you can dress like a slop.
6. Setup Your Background: Be mindful of what your colleagues can see behind you. An overflowing laundry basket doesn’t give the best impression. You just need a good corner décor.
Like any technology, video calling is neutral. It’s about how you use it. With a little preparation you can get the most of out of it.
Stay safe everyone and remember to wash your hands frequently. And do keep aside some time during your virtual meetings to check on others how they are coping during this unprecedented crisis around us.