Virtual meetings can be a lot boring for some people. However, conducting a successful virtual meeting is more difficult and requires concentration. We recommend you keep reading because we have listed the top 5 tips for conducting a successful virtual meeting.
- Engage your participants:
The success of any meeting is directly linked to the level of engagement of the attendees during that meeting. One of the ways that exponentially increases the engagement of the participants is to have their cameras on. This not only makes the participants more mindful of their actions but also boosts the conductor’s concentration. To have your attendees’ attention, it is cardinal to tailor your meeting around the interests and benefits of your listeners. You can also ask questions once in a while to keep the participators on their toes.
Drawing from the insights presented in the All Business report, as participants join the conference call, consider requesting their engagement in a brief task. This could involve tasks such as contributing updates to a shared agenda document, typing their name and a concise bio within the chat window, or preparing a response to a guiding question like “What is one objective you wish to achieve during this session?”
Asking rhetorical questions during your meeting will replenish your audience’s attention by stimulating their thought process and will also help you transition between various parts of your meeting smoothly. The key concepts and the objectives should vividly be stated at the start of your meeting; you may come back for the explanations later followed by a summary, and do not forget to leave your attendees with a take-home message. Always end your meeting by answering questions from your participants.
- Be confident and stay focused:
It is always a good idea to open with some introduction, appropriate joke, or a witty remark. Practicing what you have to say beforehand will increase your confidence during the meeting. In order to look confident while conducting the meeting, you should smile more often, keep an open posture, dress appropriately, and make small gestures to engage the audience but be cautious of not making big gestures because your camera only focuses on a small area and the participants may not get to see your gestures altogether.
Public speakers also advise exercising lightly before a big meeting or a presentation. Fidgeting while conducting a meeting makes you appear under-confident, untrustworthy, and unsure of your core subject. Try to turn your nervousness into excitement or take slow, deep breaths when feeling anxious.
You should also try to vary the tone and pitch of your voice to avoid monotony and for keeping the participants interested.
- Set some rules:
Setting some ground rules for yourself and your attendees ensures the smooth running of the meeting. These rules should be conveyed to the participants before beginning the meeting via email or at the start of the meeting itself. If you are using particular software for the first time, always see a tutorial before conducting the meeting and if possible, send the tutorial to your participants too. Always try your best to start the meeting on time. During a virtual meeting, if the mics of all the attendees are on, there is always some kind of disruption.
Derived from the insights presented in the Rock Wood Company study, as you commence the initial meeting, it’s recommended to lay down foundational guidelines or norms. This helps foster an environment wherein participants can engage in candid and cooperative discussions, enabling efficient decision-making. These rules should be communicated to attendees prior to the meeting, either through email beforehand or at the outset of the meeting itself.
This not only disturbs the conductor of the meeting but also makes the other participants lose their focus. Control the mic settings or especially ask the attendees to turn their mics off and only turn them on they are asked to or they have something important to say. Eating and drinking should also be prohibited during the course of the meeting to keep the focus undivided. However, occasional sips of water are fine or rather good for both making the conductor look more confident and for the audience to avoid dehydration and losing attention.
- Set a time limit:
It is essential to inform the participants about the time limit prior to the meeting and always try to abide by that limit. No matter how hard you try or what methods you use, it is impossible to have the attention of all the listeners for a long period. Always try to concentrate on the core idea of the meeting in the first 15- 20 minutes and then explain that idea, if necessary, for the next 20- 40 minutes.
If you plan to have a meeting for more than an hour, have small breaks in between. Avoid getting carried away and re-elucidating the already known/ basic ideas. Exceeding the time limit not only is disrespectful of your participants but also shows a lack of expertise on the part of the conductor of the meeting. Of course, you can make an exception to this rule if your audience specially asks you or you have about 10-15 minutes more to finish (that too after informing the audience).
- Choose a suitable place:
Though you can have a virtual meeting anywhere, choosing a suitable space is highly important for the conduction of a good meeting both for the listeners and the one conducting it. The room you choose should be well-lit, have a proper internet connection, and devoid of disruptions like electronic devices, TV, etc. It is significant that other members of the family are prohibited from entering this room as their activities may result in the lost focus for you. Children should especially be stopped because they tend to cause a lot of disturbance.
As emphasized by the Time Doctor study, the choice of an apt online meeting tool holds paramount importance. When orchestrating a virtual meeting, a fitting platform is imperative. It’s vital to ascertain that the designated area is well-lit, possesses a reliable internet connection, and is devoid of disruptions like electronic gadgets and television.
To avoid the discomfort of internet lagging or technical glitches in your chosen room, have a small mock meeting with a few of your friends or even your family members. To look professional, try to have a neutral tone background with a dash of colour -preferably from a bookshelf or plants. You should also be mindful that the selected room is not very empty as this may make your sound echo; so prefer a room that is carpeted with just an apt amount of furniture in it.
