We’ve all attended meetings where we’ve questioned why we needed to be there or whether the meeting was even necessary.
The fact is, inefficient meetings aren’t just annoyances; they’re roadblocks to productivity and profitability, especially in a virtual setting where meetings are often the primary source of interaction and communication.
OnPoint’s global research study on virtual collaboration found that while running effective virtual meetings is a high priority, many virtual team leaders have never been trained on best practices. Instead, leaders are expected to figure it out for themselves. Unfortunately, this isn’t working—49 percent of company stakeholders in our virtual study reported their virtual team leaders were not performing at a high level.
The good news is that by following a few best practices, team leaders can facilitate high-impact virtual meetings and keep people engaged.
Our tips for hosting more effective virtual meetings include:
- Using the right technology;
- Addressing time zone barriers;
- Minimizing multi-tasking and off-topic discussions;
- Balancing tasks and trust.
These tips sound simple, but how do you put them into practice so they become habits?
I’ll help leaders translate these virtual meeting best practices and others into action at an upcoming training session hosted by the New York Metro Chapter of the Association for Talent Development (ATD).
The session is scheduled from 5:30-7:45 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, at Partners International
9 East 37th Street, on the 9th floor conference room. It’s free to attend for all ATD members or those considering membership.
Why attend a training session on virtual meetings in person?
The session will give you an opportunity for more interactive learning and valuable networking with others in your field. In addition to diving deeper into best practices, we’ll also discuss common technological hurdles leaders often encounter in virtual meetings and cultural nuances they need to consider when meeting with people across the globe.
Understanding how to incorporate these best practices and cultural considerations in your virtual meetings is essential to your success as a virtual leader. It will enable you to make the most of everyone’s time so your team can be work together to achieve results.
