Virtual meetings are all the rage these days. More workers are mobile, the marketplace is global and technology seamlessly links people and places like never before. But to ensure that your virtual meetings are productive, you've got to do a little fine-tuning.
This new Harvard Management Update provides five proven strategies for delivering productive virtual meetings. From encouraging participant engagement to alternating time zone scheduling, discover how to energize your virtual meetings.
Download the update to learn how to:
. Increase the interactivity of virtual meetings.
. Enhance collaboration and level the playing field.
. Leverage technology to foster engagement and inclusion.
A NEWSLETTER FROM HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL PUBLISHING ARTICLE REPRINT NO. U0803C
Five Tips for Better Virtual Meetings
by Karen Boda and Rebecca Hinkle
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Five Tips for Better Virtual Meetingsby Karen Boda and Rebecca Hinkle
With more than two-thirds of business professionals engag ing in virtual work, virtual meetings are a standard THIS ARTICLE EXPLAINS HOW TO MAKE VIRTUAL feature of the business landscape. But that doesn't mean MEETINGS MORE PRODUCTIVE BY:they're easy to navigate. Working around the obstacles ?posed by distance requires careful planning and I ncreasing their interactivitythoughtful execution. ?Here are some simple guidelines that we have seen make Enhancing camaraderie and putting allvirtual meetings successful. By following them, one global participants on a level playing ? eldservice team was able to decrease by 20% the time it took ?to resolve customer issues. Using technology smartly
1. BE VERY INTERACTIVEOne reason virtual meetings do not fl ow as naturally as time in virtual meetings aft er it put technology to work. in-person meetings is that establishing camaraderie at a Useful high-tech tools include virtual rooms for attendees, distance is diffi cult. Yet it can be achieved if the meeting white-board functionality for note taking, voting tools participants make an eff ort to engage with their colleagues for anonymous feedback, cameras so colleagues can see from afar. one another, collaborative online presentation capability, informal chat rooms for side discussions, and the ability n As attendees join the meeting, greet each one with a to raise your hand virtually and ask questions. hearty hello and take a moment for small talk: ask about n the weather where they are or comment on a local news Investigate which tools will work for your team and item. train everyone in their use; many teams fi nd it useful if one member is designated the technology champion. n Take a personal interest in your teammates, just as you n would if they worked in the offi ce next door. E-mail or Test the technology before every meeting, or request phone them outside of meetings to get to know them. that everyone dial in 10 minutes early to iron out any last-minute problems. n If your teammates hail from other parts of the world, n use this to learn something new. Ask neutral, friendly Create a backup plan. For instance, send the questions about customs, holidays, even politics. Th e presentations or documents by e-mail before the meeting, attendees will exit the meeting better informed about one so if the technology does fail, the meeting can still be another. productive. n Leave your phones off mute, especially in a small 3. RESERVE MEETINGS FOR TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION meeting. Interaction, asides, laughter, and spontaneous Have you ever attended a meeting where all you did was questions establish context and rapport, and facilitate listen? If one-way meetings are bad in person, they're open dialogue. deadly over the phone, especially when participants are When one company we worked with adopted these scattered across the globe and it's the middle of the night simple techniques, camaraderie increased signifi cantly, for some. which in turn boosted collaboration, knowledge sharing, n If you need to get important information to everyone and productivity. And attendance... [download for more]
