Dawn Montemayor, Virtual Chief Security Officer, CyberRisk Solutions
Whether you’re running a meeting with high level executives or having a group client meeting there are some simple things you can do to keep online meetings interesting, productive, and even entertaining. While virtual meetings don’t have the same personal touch as face-to-face meetings, there are some huge benefits to them such as flexibility in scheduling, saving time with commuting, and sometimes higher productivity. When looking to bring some of the softer touches to online meetings, these hacks add a personal flair that are sure to result in higher engagement, and frankly, more fun to your meetings!
1. Keep the meeting size small
In the spirit of keeping things focused, this is always a good way to ensure high engagement. If you’re trying to accomplish several things in a single meeting, it’s easy for things to get derailed when there are too many attendees.
2. Ensure everyone is a part of the conversation from the very beginning
Make sure someone is in charge of greeting new attendees, especially if they have never attended one of your meetings. Think of how awkward it is to walk into a physical room of people you don’t know. Now imagine doing this virtually. Still awkward. A warm hello can go a long way in building a relationship with newcomers to your meeting.
3. Build in some creative time
My all-time favorite thing to do in an online meeting is to kick it off with an ice-breaker question or better yet an impromptu dance party! I bet you’re thinking this won’t go over well in a corporate meeting. You’d be surprised how receptive folks are to breaking up the monotony of the day to be silly for a few minutes, especially when doing it in the comfort of their own home.
This works especially well when a lot of the people joining the call don’t know each other, but can still be very effective for meetings where everyone knows each other. Finding out what someone’s go-to song or artist is, or their favorite vacation spot, can build rapport in a non-threatening way.
4. Have a clear agenda
This may seem like a no-brainer, but we can sometimes think if it’s a small meeting, no agenda is needed. However, deciding what to cover and how much to resolve on the fly can eat up the time you have set out for the meeting.
These techniques will not only make your meeting more productive, but also more interesting without going into overtime.
