Why Virtual Meetings Suck (Except When They Don’t!)

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Lately, watching live TV has been illuminating. Whether it’s news, sports, or home channels, it’s obvious there are problems with remote reporting and commentary. If you’ve also been trying to stay in touch with family, clients, and team members during the lockdowns, you know that much of the time, virtual meetings suck.

It seems like when they don’t suck; it’s time to celebrate because that is so unusual.

Of course, this then begs the question of why having meetings using video chat apps is so disappointing. Is it the app? Is it the host (you!)? Is it the guests or team members you’ve invited?

Well, according to an article at Forbes.com, it’s all of the above and more!

It’s Hard to Really Connect Virtually

Thanks to the world suddenly going off the rails a few months ago, it’s likely you’ve been required (forced?) to attend a few of these meetings yourself. Or, you may have conducted some as The Boss, or as a way to stay in touch with clients. Whatever the reason for these experiences, connecting virtually rarely eliminates the sense of isolation many have been feeling.

By definition, “remote” means “far apart in time, relevance, relationship or kinship.” That kind of separation is tough to overcome with a webcam video connection. (Not to mention a sometimes sketchy internet connection.)

After all, if virtual meetings were so great, we would all have been setting them up and using them all along, wouldn’t we? Yeah, in-person meetings are so much better because it’s easier to connect and interact on a personal basis.

Still, when online meetings are needed just to stay in touch, there are ways to make them better.

Tips for Effective Virtual Meetings

Harvard Business Review offers a dozen tips for effective virtual meetings, a few of the most important we want to share:

  • Test the technology ahead of time. Beyond the apparent essentials of using video and audio, nothing kills momentum at the start of a meeting like a technical delay or unfamiliar software. Before a virtual meeting, all participants should test the technology and make sure they are comfortable with the significant features.

  • Make sure faces are visible. Video conferences are more effective when people can see each other’s facial expressions and body language. Ask individuals to sit close to their webcam to help to recreate the intimacy of an in-person meeting. (And, ask them to remove distractions or inappropriate backgrounds before your meeting.)

  • Stick to meeting basics. Before the conversation, set clear objectives, and send a pre-read if appropriate. During the session, use an agenda, set meeting ground rules, take breaks, and clearly outline the next steps (including timing and accountabilities) after each section and at the end of the meeting.

  • Assign a facilitator. It’s usually harder to manage a virtual discussion than an in-person one. It can be helpful to assign one individual to guide the conversation, allowing the other participants to focus on the content. The facilitator can also use a polling system to “take the pulse” of the group on particular questions and ensure that everyone can participate if they wish.

  • Call on people. Getting everyone to participate without talking over each other is one of the more challenging aspects of running a virtual meeting. To forestall this, we recommend periodically calling on individuals to speak by “going around the table” before finalizing a decision. This helps the facilitator drive closure without the risk of excluding an introverted participant’s views.

Virtual Meetings Will Remain Popular

While it’s never easy to predict the future, human behavior is a bit easier to guess. In other words, once people become familiar with a new technology or procedure, they tend to adopt it as their own. Don’t be surprised if you wind up attending far more virtual meetings even after the end of the lockdown.

We guarantee that there are people out there who do not agree that virtual meetings suck, so be prepared to make them a part of your life from now on.

To get in touch with Ted for answers to business consulting questions, or more design business tips, trends, and marketing ideas, get in touch with TD Fall today.