Is your team more accustomed to connecting in person? Here are five ways to “meet like a human” and conduct more engaging and productive virtual meetings with your colleagues or clients.
Sometimes this feels a bit weird, but when you have something to say, look right into your webcam. It makes the other meeting attendees — whether your own team or your clients — feel more connected to you because you appear to be looking right at them instead of somewhere over their shoulders.
It's easy to accidentally appear solemn or robotic in a virtual meeting. Smile a bit more than usual and nod at the commentary of your fellow meeting attendees, just as you would in person. Behaving as you would in person helps keep dialogue flowing and ensures attendees stay engaged throughout the meeting.
Mute your microphone when you’re not speaking. This help you avoid noise from feedback, babies, dogs, food wrappers, loud roommates and other background sounds that make it hard to hear and distracting for other meeting attendees.
Compensate for the shortcomings of meeting virtually by making sure people feel heard. Listen and respond appropriately to others’ commentary. They'll still be able to pick up on your energy through your voice, facial cues and thoughtful comments about their input.
You may not be able to physically shake hands or bid your farewells around the conference table, but connecting at the end of a meeting is still vital. Take a moment to review action items, ensure everyone is aligned and, if needed, set up your next meeting. Remember to say actually say goodbye as you normally would in person!
Looking for more helpful tips and regulatory updates during this disruptive time? Visit our COVID 19 Resource Center for information on crisis management, remote workforce enablement, government aid and more.
March 27, 2020
