Many if not all of us are taking our projects and jobs remotely, for now at least. It’s more important than ever to watch how you show up to these remote meetings just like you would in a conference room. What about the people that aren’t engaged on those calls though? Dead air and chirping crickets–is that what you hear when someone asks a question during virtual meetings? It’s frustrating if you are the facilitator or the participant. Regardless, everyone should participate and engage because, at the end of the day, it will be reflected in our projects and communications. The key question here is how do you get people to participate? How do you get what you need from those shy (or multitasking!) stakeholders? Below are some tricks and tips on how to engage and hold effective conference calls and videos while some or all of your team is working remotely.
- The Chat Function. If your virtual meeting tool has a chat function, use it. If not try instant messenger or even texting. Ask participants to submit ideas or thoughts to you privately or to the group. Facilitate dialog related to the chat items. Many introverts will prefer this rather than chiming in verbally. Keep reminding attendees during the call that this option is available to them. It’s okay to call out to someone who hasn’t participated too. By using the chat function as a friendly reminder that you seek their comments and feedback. It’s a non-intrusive yet suggestive way to push them to engage.
- The Poll Feature. Before the meeting take time to brainstorm important group questions. Then, determine which questions would work well in a poll. Use the polling feature in your web conferencing tool, conduct polls via email, or use something like Poll Everywhere. You might post a poll at the beginning of the meeting to understand how many people reviewed the material before the meeting. Or you could use a poll mid-meeting to determine how many people are ready to move on the next topic. As a facilitator, the poll results help you see how many people are actively participating in the meeting. The tally is good info to share in the next meeting too. A great kick-off to start the next meeting where you left off in the previous one.
- Annotate Live. Ask participants to annotate a document on the screen using a screen sharing tool or a virtual whiteboard. Ask them to place “x” marks or check marks on items they agree with or want to discuss further. For example, you could place a bullet list of risks on the screen and ask them to place an x next to the highest risk. Or you could share a list of requirements and ask your attendees to place a checkmark by the requirements they consider the highest priority for today’s meeting.
- Take It Offline. If you have a couple of people that tend to dominate the conference and web calls, harness their excitement by having them take their discussions offline. Check-in with them or join them on these sidebar meetings but don’t allow what their priorities are during a meeting about something else. Studies show that this is a primary reason people are dubious about conference calls or feel like they are unnecessary. Capture details and decisions in these smaller gatherings and report them in the next larger call so everyone is on the same page.
- Laughter is the Best Medicine. Wrap meetings up on the upside. We all need a little humor right now. Encourage people to share silly anecdotes about what they are experiencing now. Finding common ground in a funny way can do wonders for team building and engagement. Remote work can be isolating so it’s important to help keep each other’s spirits lifted. They will look forward to future meetings too.
What are you doing during remote work to encourage participation and communication? Let us know!