Online communication takes more energy and attention than meetings in real life. According to a 2014 German study, even small communication delays of 1.2 seconds are perceived by people as inattention and rudeness of the interlocutor. Because of the screen, it’s harder to read other people’s body language, facial expressions and emotions online. At the same time, with the camera on, you are always under surveillance, and this is an additional stress factor.
Experts believe that remote working will remain for a long time to come. Companies are closing offices and allowing employees to stay remote as long as they want. The future lies in the combined work format, where people come to the office one or two days a week and work from home the rest of the time. Online meetings and conferences have become more accessible, and the ability to engage colleagues in a dialog or presentation is key.
In order to make online meetings beneficial rather than harmful, we recommend preparing in advance and applying ten facilitation techniques.
Use the Check-in technique
Start the meeting with a check-in. Ask each participant to say something about themselves and answer the questions: “What is most important to me in the meeting?” and ”What needs to happen in the meeting to make it as useful as possible?”
This will help to include each participant on a meaningful, physical and emotional level. They will be able to speak up, voice their point of view, and hear and feel others at the beginning of the meeting.
Explain the purpose and plan of the meeting
Explain to the meeting participants: what is going to happen and why everyone has been brought together. To do this, clearly present the purpose and plan of the meeting. Prepare a separate slide in the presentation, speak the agenda out loud and gather feedback from participants – what and how they understood.
If you hold online meetings on a regular basis, categorize them into several types. For example, weekly planning meetings, problem-solving meetings between departments, brainstorming sessions, and debriefing. For each type, define the meeting agenda, rules, and format and send it to participants in advance. Then, joining the meeting, people will immediately understand the essence of what is happening and the meeting will be more productive.
Facilitate
Appoint or invite a meeting facilitator – a presenter who will follow the structure of the meeting and make it productive.
If you don’t have a facilitator, just stick to the rules of collaboration. Here are eight basic ones:
- “30 seconds to speak up” – each participant is given 30 seconds to present an idea. This will help everyone be heard and limit the most talkative ones.
- “Three contrasting opinions” – ask the group to bring different arguments and opinions to understand the full context of the discussion.
- “Offer the floor to those whose opinions you want to hear” – the participant chooses a colleague to speak next.
- “No Ties” – leave positions and statuses out of the meeting. All voices are equal here.
- “Turn the camera on” – always ask for the camera to be turned on in online meetings so you can see your interlocutors and their emotions.
- “Turn off the microphone when you’re not talking” – this way there will be less interference and noise in the conversation.
- “Write in the chat” – if there are questions or comments. This will help engage participants and get feedback.
- “Raise your hands” – due to screen limitations, we can’t see everyone, so ask participants to click the raised hand icon to be noticed.
Organize participant activity
The more people do things on their own, the more they feel interested in the process and satisfied, so plan more engaging activities and activities.
The easiest way to include participants is to ask a few questions and ask them to respond via chat or voice. You can use points to answer. For example, ask everyone to rate: how many points they agree with the proposed solution.
Ask for the camera to be turned on in online meetings to engage participants in the process
Ask participants to ask you and colleagues questions in the chat room. Divide participants into groups more often to discuss complex issues and come up with new solutions. For example, assign people to different rooms in Zoom. In small groups, participants feel safer and aren’t afraid to propose because they bring the group’s overall solution to the common meeting.
Change activities and discussion formats to keep participants engaged and interested.
Value everyone’s contribution
Everyone wants to be useful, relevant, and make an impact. Create an environment where all participants are heard. Help people to speak up, prioritize and address them personally.
Organize a passing of the floor: at the end of the speech, the speaker names the participant to whom he or she will pass the floor. Thank the speaker and the group, use applause. It is important that participants speak, not just the presenter or leader. Be neutral to anyone and remember: the quietest voice can offer the strongest solution.
Explore online platforms
Online collaboration platforms can help the team visualize and capture ideas. Use whiteboards for drawing and voting, use templates for discussions.
For example, before the meeting, exchange expectations on virtual stickers in Padlet, and during the brainstorming session, write down ideas on boards in Miro. This variety of formats will make the meeting much more interesting and productive. The main thing is to try the tools yourself first and then offer them to the participants.
Create a safe and open environment
Online, any caustic remark is louder and more sensitive. Your job as an organizer and facilitator is to create a safe environment for constructive communication.
Establish rules for respecting each other: no criticism and no personal attacks. Immediately stop “trolling”, focus and bring participants back to the purpose of the meeting. For example, instead of criticizing, suggest expressing ideas using the “Yes and…” formula.
Share thoughts, co-create solutions
Talk to people: ask for their opinions, share experiences and visions. Analyze situations together and look for solutions to problems, agree on plans. Make active use of online voting at meetings and in common chat rooms.
The more people participate in the development of ideas and solutions, the greater the responsibility for the decisions made and the greater the willingness to implement them.
Keep an eye on the energy of the group
The facilitator of an online meeting sets the pace and rhythm at which participants will move. Dynamics and speed are especially important online, because physically we tire faster and the length of meetings is shorter. Take breaks and warm-ups – help the group to be in a resourceful state.
Manage the psycho-emotional background of the meeting
Maintain a friendly atmosphere and show a keen interest in others. Talk about work and personal topics. Demonstrate common contact with the audience despite physical distance from each other. For example, try to organize a “micro-positive” at each meeting: tell good news or learn about your colleagues’ business.
There is no such thing as a perfect meeting. If someone’s internet or presentation goes down, defuse the situation and encourage participants to keep things simple. Experiment and involve participants in any way you can.
