Make your online meetings more personal, positive, and appealing
With a shift to Level 4 lockdown many of us have been forced back into isolation for the foreseeable future. For those privileged to be able to work from home, the tedium of boring virtual team meetings is an inevitable part of life in 2021.
Or is it?
In his book Upstream Dan Heath shares some cool tips used by companies that have been working remotely even before the start of the pandemic. These techniques have been shown to make meetings more effective, engaging, personal and positive – benefits we all could surely do with at this stage.
Tip 1: Everyone shares something good that happened recently.
Yes, everyone gets a chance (and it’s not optional). In most meetings the discussion is often dominated by a few voices, with many hanging back and not sharing their views. These dominant voices are often the sceptics or complainers (although not always if you’re lucky). Obviously, it is important to identify problems, but it surely does not have to be the entire story.
From next week onward ask each member of your team to share something good that recently happened to them. This could either be professional or personal, doesn’t matter. The focus should be on changing the tone of your meetings and getting people to share what has been on their mind. Most will be reluctant to start off with, but don’t take no for an answer. Heath reports that people warmed to this “bright spots” approach much quicker than expected.
Tip 2: Provide immediate feedback on the quality of the meeting.
At the end of each meeting ask everyone to rate the quality of the meeting on a scale from 1 to 5 (5 being great and 1 being a waste of time). Ask the outliers why they gave this rating and be open to making the necessary adjustments immediately. People might feel that a certain point of discussion dragged on too long or they did not get a clear answer to a question or next steps. This is valuable feedback as it provides the opportunity to enhance the effectiveness of your meetings on the fly.
Tip 3: Show up with a different mindset.
Before the start of your next meeting, make the following promise to yourself: For the duration of this meeting, I will do my absolute best to be fully present and I will learn as much as possible. Meetings become boring when we allow ourselves to be distracted and think we already know everything. Change your mindset. Be in the moment and remember that everybody you come across knows something you don’t. Be present and willing to learn.
The takeaway
Meetings do not have to be a soul-destroying waste of time. Try something new. Get your people talking, sharing their experiences, and reconnecting on a more personal level. Blend some positivity and connection into the work talk. Take their feedback and be willing to change your approach. Remember, meetings don’t have to suck. So why not do something about it?
At PurposeWorks we are all about Making You and Your Work Rock. Our focus is on Organisational Health and Design, Employee Centered Culture, Leadership Development and Performance Coaching. For more information on how we can help you create a work environment that rocks, develop a great team, become an inspiring leader or unlock your personal excellence talk to us at info@purposeworks.co.za.
