It’s safe to say that most, if not all, of our normal business meetings, have become virtual meetings these days. While the tech we have is impressive for connecting us, it can still be difficult to make sure the meetings are engaging. Since we can’t read non-verbal cues as well during a virtual meeting, people are more likely to not speak for fear of interrupting someone.
Here are some great tips for making your meetings more active and engaging:
1. Have an Agenda and Share it In Advance
This is a good practice for every type of meeting, but it is essential for virtual meetings. Everyone will know what to expect from the meeting and they will also know when their input is most likely to be needed. This will let people come prepared to engage.
2. Encourage Everyone to Be on Video Chat – Not Just Calling In
It’s tempting to hop on the call and kill the camera so no one can see you – this is an engagement killer. Encourage everyone to stay on video. People will automatically become more engaged because they know they are being watched too.
3. Set Expectations and Goals at the Beginning of the Meeting
If everyone is unified around a common goal, they will be more likely to participate and engage. On the flip side, if people think they’re being dragged into another unproductive meeting – they won’t be active and won’t help drive the end goal.
4. Start the Meeting by Introducing Everyone
Make sure everyone knows who is on the call and why they are there. This will promote collaboration and communication.
5. Have a Place for Shared Collaboration When Needed
There are a lot of great tools out there that will give everyone a live view of what is being discussed. One of our favorites is free and available for anyone with a Gmail. Google Docs allows multiple viewers to collaborate on one document at the same time. Have whoever is taking notes for that meeting do so in a Google Document that everyone has access to.
6. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Specific People for Their Input
If you notice someone hasn’t been speaking up much (or at all) it’s okay to ask them their opinion about what you are discussing. This will give them an opportunity to have the floor without fear of interruption. Your introverts especially will love having a safe space to talk.
7. Plan to Share Control of the Meeting
Assign different parts of the meeting to be led by different members on the call. This will keep everyone engaged and communicating throughout the call.
With these simple tricks, you can turn your meetings from unenthusiastic to engaging and productive!
Contact us to learn more about how Predictive Index can help you leverage these tips to gain more engagement from your team.