Effective Virtual Meetings? One Topic at a Time

We are all getting used to our remote working situations and the virtual meetings. We know that we need to connect frequently, use video for a richer conversation, use collaborative tools for discussions and brainstorming. Why does it feel that it is not effective?

From friends I hear different issues. Some get overloaded with topics and discussions, loose track what is the objective of the call. Some are trying to initiate a good conversation and are confronted with silence. Some feel they need to rush through many things because we are inefficient. All these situations cause stress, confusion and additional uncertainty.

From my knowledge management experience, I think we can try to achieve less in one call at the time; focus on one topic. As we have frequent calls we will still be able to cover many things. Here some tips for effective virtual meetings:

• focus on one topic per meeting; spread multiple topics across different meetings - focusing on one things will allow you to close that topic quickly and move to the next
• use video; the conversation and interaction will be richer with video - this means people will be more engaged and more feedback will be shared
• send out pre-reading materials; ask to read them and prepare a few questions that will be discussed; for clarification, additional comments and different opinions - this will bring everyone into the conversation
• use a collaborative document where everyone can contribute at the same time, even during the meeting - this will allow people that feel less comfortable to talk, to engage during the call

What did work on your side? Share your experiences...