Five faux pas to watch for include:
1. Not having an agenda and sticking to it - as I wrote in yesterday's post, it is important to have a plan which you share with others (so they can input into it before the meeting), and one that you refer to throughout the call so people know where you are and where you are going.
2. Not starting and ending meetings on time. This is critical in the realm of virtual meetings, particularly as it is common that people will be at different parts of their day.
3. Not calling on people you haven't heard from - Virtual Meetings, particularly when you can't see each other - are a ripe opportunity to multi-task and sign out. Let people know what's expected so when you do call on people it's part of the norm and not being seen as "being picked on". Engagement approaches will be another topic addressed in the next week or two here at the blog
4. Not rotating meeting times - when you do lead a global team it can be important to rotate meeting times so it's not always the team members in Asia or somewhere else who are calling in at odd hours. Be aware of time of day considerations when scheduling virtual meetings. Where feasible rotate this.
5. Not being clear on what's been agreed and who is accountable - Make sure you remind people throughout a virtual meeting about agreements,, key points and also where you are going to next. It's easy to say a lot of "yeses" and then forget or not be clear on what was agreed upon.
What other virtual meeting faux pas do you see?
I'll be going more into detail around all of these, as well into strategies and best practices to avoid them during the Virtual Facilitation Skills Intensive starting February 4th. this five week Virtual train-the-trainer provides you with information on best practices and practice in virtual facilitation. Leaders who are responsible for leading virtual meetings, or leading webinars and other virtual learning events will find this course useful. Click here to learn more.
Best wishes,
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
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