VIRTUAL MEETINGS DON’T HAVE TO BE HORRIBLE:
5 TIPS TO REDUCE ZOOM FATIGUE AND ACHIEVE BETTER OUTCOMES
Virtual meetings have exacerbated and amplified all the bad things people already don't like about meetings in general. And for some, the solution has been….more meetings. Ugh.
After talking with various leaders and conducting multiple experiments, a handful of useful tips have become apparent.
These are:
Design with empathy and intent - Having a specific objective for the meeting itself is key, but also design for what the participants will gain as well. It should be beneficial for all involved.
Keep participants active and involved - There should be no passive participants. Remember the last meeting in which you were a passive participant? The “multi-tasking” options are unending, especially during holiday shopping season.
Minimize presentations and heavily limit one way communication. Information downloads can happen beforehand or after. If you are planning on reading PowerPoint to people, why not have them read it on their own? Or record a video for them to watch. That way they can pause, re-listen to key moments, or even listen at double speed. If there is no interaction, it doesn’t need to be live.
Short Bursts of Activity - Use the advantage of breakout rooms to get people to discuss, connect and decide. Dividing groups into 3-5 people ensures that everyone participates, or at least has the option to.
Invite humanity - Have an icebreaker and add a moment to discuss something personal. Think of this as replacing the water cooler. Our interactions in the workplace aren’t transactional and it takes effort and planning to bring this to the virtual space. When done right, it is worth it.
Connect with people, make it beneficial for all, and have empathy for those of which you are asking to share their time.
How are you engaging with teams, partners, and/or clients online?
Contact us today to learn how we’ve been employing these techniques!
