It sure has. A lot of employees have been working in a remote or hybrid world for almost 18 months now! 

We have all seen the thousands of jokes and memes about "Zoom fatigue." We've all been caught "on mute" too many times and we've lost WiFi and froze on screen at seemingly the least opportune time. 

But, virtual meetings can be incredibly impactful.

With some inentional tactics, virtual meetings and live classes can be as engaging or more engaging than in person sessions. 

Electives teacher and executive coach, AK Ikwaukor, put together this incredible list of 75 tips to host an engaging session: 

Think about the setup before starting virtual meetings

1) Use proper lighting to illuminate faces

3) To show off your personality, don't be afraid to use your regular background

8) If you have a producer (or support center), use them for additional support or check-in

9) Create a guide or cheat sheet that you can reference

11) Set up your desktop and facilitation area in a way that's comfortable for you 

Kick off virtual meetings using these tips

13) Share directions on how participants should engage

14) Open the meeting with an impactful question

16) Open with some music to set the mood/tone

19) Ensure that your audience knows the purpose/goals

21) Model good energy - your audience will match it 

22) Encourage participants to have their cameras on

25) Get agreement from everyone (either through raising their hands or emoji)

Increase employee engagement and participation in virtual meetings

30) Use breakout rooms (they're not scary!)

31) Set rules on who will kick off breakout rooms

32) Set a prompt for participants when they return from breakout rooms

33) Create questions that everyone can answer

34) Have participants write or type responses

41) Add gifs if they feel natural for you

42) Create post breakout debrief activities

Has it really been 18 months??

It sure has. A lot of employees have been working in a remote or hybrid world for almost 18 months now! 

We have all seen the thousands of jokes and memes about "Zoom fatigue." We've all been caught "on mute" too many times and we've lost WiFi and froze on screen at seemingly the least opportune time. 

But, virtual meetings can be incredibly impactful.

With some inentional tactics, virtual meetings and live classes can be as engaging or more engaging than in person sessions. 

Electives teacher and executive coach, AK Ikwaukor, put together this incredible list of 75 tips to host an engaging session: 

Think about the setup before starting virtual meetings
1) Use proper lighting to illuminate faces

2) Stand up

3) To show off your personality, don't be afraid to use your regular background

4) Use a HD camera

5) Have a solid internet connection

6) Dress to impress

7) Check your framing

8) If you have a producer (or support center), use them for additional support or check-in

9) Create a guide or cheat sheet that you can reference

10) Turn off notifications

11) Set up your desktop and facilitation area in a way that's comfortable for you 

Kick off virtual meetings using these tips

12) Use a welcome slide

13) Share directions on how participants should engage

14) Open the meeting with an impactful question

15) Download your guide (if needed) 

16) Open with some music to set the mood/tone

17) Set ground rules for engagement

18) Start on time

19) Ensure that your audience knows the purpose/goals

20) Confirm what success looks like 

21) Model good energy - your audience will match it 

22) Encourage participants to have their cameras on

23) Smile

24) Meet the room where they're at

25) Get agreement from everyone (either through raising their hands or emoji)

26) Show humility

Increase employee engagement and participation in virtual meetings
27) Incorporate positive psychology

28) Be specific with how you want input

29) Get the group engaged early

30) Use breakout rooms (they're not scary!)

31) Set rules on who will kick off breakout rooms

32) Set a prompt for participants when they return from breakout rooms

33) Create questions that everyone can answer

34) Have participants write or type responses

35) Tell a story

36) Use polls 

37) Utilize the chat function

38) Make your space 3D

39) Change it up every 5-7 minutes

40) Call people by their name

41) Add gifs if they feel natural for you

42) Create post breakout debrief activities

43) Prompt participants on who you will be calling next 

44) Have one participant call on the next person

45) Acknowledge positive behaviors

46) Change up your pace/speed

47) Ask open ended questions

48) Use whiteboard functionalities

49) Practice and role play

50) Use your hands 

51) Get participants moving

52) Use Jamboard 

53) Incorporate all 5 senses

54) Make eye contact

55) Use dynamic pauses

56) Incorporate frameworks

57) Make it your own! Be authentic

58) Add humor 

59) Show your passion

60) Incorporate aspects of your personal life

61) Use the whole frame

62) Match your words/energy to the audience's mood/tone

63) Let go and lean in; be vulnerable! 

64) Keep it real

65) Mentimeter 

66) Incorporate time for self reflection

67) Self-practice

68) Use other mediums within virtual meeting platform

69) Encourage group sharing

70) Remember to project your voice

71) Take risks

End virtual meetings on a high note
72) Reflect on experience, learnings, action items and accountability 

73) Set final takeaways

74) Ask for specific action steps

75) Close powerfully

How many of the 75 are you doing consistently to keep employees engaged in virtual meetings? Which tips are your favorite? Would you add other suggestions? Before you jump into your next online meeting or teach your next online class live, we hope this "cheat sheet" can be a helpful resource to take your session to the next level!

 



CALL TO ACTION

75 tips to improve your virtual meetings from executive coach and Electives teacher, AK Ikwaukor.

75 Tips to Keep Employees Engaged In Virtual Meetings

Wed Sep 29 2021

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