Virtual meetings abound in the covid-19 era. If the truth be told, I’m listening to one while writing this, with my video off. For better or for worse, I turned the video off, and kept the audio on because I wanted to hear what was being said, and was distressed by the chaotic nature of the meeting: multiple people talking – or trying to talk –all at once; a few dominating the conversation, with some being left out; noises in the background; and, participants coming and going with the video on. What I noticed forms part of what this blog will address.
In my last blog, I focused on the communication do’s and don’ts for the meeting initiator. This post will address the how-to’s and tips for participants.
As a quick recap, the how-to’s for meeting initiators follow. For the tips, or, to “put meat on the bones” read here.
Virtual Meeting Initiator: Communication How-to’s:
1) Meeting Scheduling: Make it easy for the participants
2) Selecting a Facilitator/s: Assigning Roles and responsibilities
3) Meeting Materials: Timing is Everything
4) Setting Groundrules: Develop rules to the road that make for a smooth meeting
Virtual Meeting Participants: Communication How-to’s:
1) When no Groundrules are Adopted: Observe the “One-at-a-Time “Guideline
2) Allow all to Participate: Follow the “Be Brief, Be Brilliant, Be Gone,” Maxim
3) Invite Others to Weigh In: Sometimes the Best Comments Come from Those Who Wait Patiently to be Invited into the Conversation
4) Remember Visual Cues: Use the Mute and “No Video” Features when Appropriate, Check the Lighting and the Background
When No Groundrules are Adopted, Observe the “One-at-a-Time” Guideline:
If the meeting facilitator sets or leads the group to develop groundrules, the job of the participant is to abide by them. A good facilitator will then become the “enforcer,” reminding those who goof what the agreed-to rules of the road are and holding them accountable. If there are no groundrules, then it’s incumbent upon the participants to self-monitor. The first tip is to ensure that all participate. There are a variety of ways to do this:
- Raise a hand or a finger or give another type of “hi” sign to indicate you’d like the floor. By doing this, others will follow your lead.
- Stay on topic and weigh in only when your contribution will add to the discussion.
- Encourage others to participate by asking open-ended questions. Open-ended questions are those that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no; rather, they require the person to offer a sentence or two.
Example: Like many, Maria is participating in a group discussion via video and audio. The topic is a recent article the attendees reviewed on the state of the world economy. She noticed that Kevan raised his finger at one point and waited patiently for his turn. It didn’t come. Maria offered up a question to him: “Kevan, I’ve heard several interesting comments about the volatile state of the international economy. What do you think?”
Allow All to Participate: Follow the “Be Brief, Be Brilliant, Be Gone” Maxim:
Unlike face-to-face meetings when time often slips and the meeting goes on longer than anticipated, virtual meetings are typically timed and can automatically cut-off at a certain point. At the same time, participants often fail to hold themselves accountable to honor the anticipated or agreed-to time frame. A good rule of thumb to follow is the adage: “Be Brief, Be Brilliant, Be Gone.” Rather than think outload, consider first the contribution you want to make, write it down, and/or rehearse it silently, and determine what are the one to three important points to make, and then make them.
Example: Maurice wanted to comment on the sales plan for the balance of 2020, which was the topic of the meeting. He believed the numbers being discussed were likely unreasonable/overly optimistic given the pandemic. He was fearful of offending the big boss, Belinda, who set the target, and was also concerned about being held accountable for what he truly believed wouldn’t happen. Based up earlier email conversations with other team members, Maurice was certain he was not alone. He wrote down his concerns, and then distilled the points to three, and made them: 1) It’s great to be positive and have an aspirational goal; 2) Would it be better to set our sights lower, and then be pleasantly surprised if the team over-performed?; or, 3) If we stick to the goal, should we revisit it monthly and readjust as needed?
Invite Others to Weigh In: Sometimes the Best Comments Come from Those Who Wait Patiently to be Invited into the Conversation:
Some of us are “over-participators” (I admit it, I am one) and we often assume that if someone has something to say, he or she will speak up. Unfortunately, this is inaccurate. Many who sit patiently in a meeting have important points to make and are waiting to be asked to join in. As a participant, it’s important to invite those sitting silently into the conversation. Often, one can figure out who to invite by observing visual cues.
Example: After Maurice made his three points, he was met with silence. In observing others via video, he noticed that Jamie opened her eyes wider and nodded her head. However, she, like the balance of the team sat mute. Maurice then said “I’d like to hear what others on the team think. Maybe I’m alone in my viewpoint. Jamie, what do you think?”
Remember Visual Cues: Use the Mute and “No Video” Features when Appropriate, Check the Lighting and the Background:
Whether intended or not, and whether we recognize it or not, communication happens continuously and comes in many forms – visual cues among them. Many of us take note of visual cues during in-person meetings and should be mindful of them in virtual meetings. Given the limited scope of a participant’s presence, perhaps we should be more vigilant during virtual meetings. Things to be aware of: room selection, lighting – both natural and from fixtures, noise and (potential) disruption caused by movement. A room with a visually interesting or stimulating background can add to the speaker or distract from her or him by causing others to focus on the background and not the participant. Back lighting – whether through windows or light fixtures – often obscures the participant and can be jarring to look at. Noises – ranging from ringing or beeping devices, dogs barking, leaf blowers, and the like – in addition to movement by the participant, frequently as a result of leaving the room for brief moments and then retuning – is distracting.
Quick Tips to Follow:
- Be mindful of the room selected and how the background could be perceived. Some virtual meetings provide a selection of backgrounds to use.
- Place the device so that light is pleasing to the eye, rather than jarring: avoid strong back lighting. Practice ahead of time or ask others for feedback.
- Use the mute button when a noise – anticipated or unanticipated – arises.
- Turn the video off when leaving the room for a short period, or when engaging in any activity other than focusing on the meeting.
To recap:
Virtual Meeting Participants: Communication How-to’s:
1) When no Groundrules are Adopted: Observe the “One-at-a-Time “Guideline
2) Allow all to Participate: Follow the “Be Brief, Be Brilliant, Be Gone,” Maxim
3) Invite Others to Weigh In: Sometimes the Best Comments Come from Those Who Wait Patiently to be Invited into the Conversation
4) Remember Visual Cues: Use the Mute and “No Video” Features when Appropriate, Check the Lighting and the Background
Excellent post. I will be experiencing many of these issues
as well..