In current days we are overwhelmed by webinars, virtual meeting and calls. I do not personally think is a good way to work since it leads often to a very dispersive approach and leading to nowhere. Unless the facilitator is capable of keeping the attention high, generating interest into people and giving really relevant content.
Keep in mind that managing a remote meeting lacks a series of facilitating elements that instead characterise in-person ones: you will not have your complete physicality, nor will you be the master of people’s total attention. This is why some measures are necessary to partially compensate for these aspects.
So what to do?
Involvement is all
Involvement is a critical aspect: as organisers we must help group members find what is interesting for themselves in the meeting and involve them in the dialogue. The competition for attention with emails and other distractions is usually the reality we have to deal with. Keep a lively pace, encourage reflection and dialogue and do regular checks to see if people are following you. And this points are the basis: you have them, you can fine tune the rest; you don’t have it and the meeting is gone. And this includes mental connection as well: while you may not be able to see all the participants, feeling “connected” to others is an important foundation for a successful virtual meeting, especially if those meetings are extended over time and may let participants feels as isolated.
Create and reinforce trust
Just like in the in-person environment, trust is key. Since we don’t have regular touch points where we can be “seen,” building trust in the virtual environment can be even more challenging. Remember to check after the meeting to see how well the ideas you’ve expressed have been absorbed and acquired by the participants
Work on content and don’t under estimate technology
Setting up the meeting properly is especially important in remote world as it is in proximity one. Consider the general building blocks of the meeting or event and how they fit together or are sequenced. More focus on process (rather than less) will benefit understanding. Use a common and simple technology that is available to you and accessible to everyone. If you can use multiple interactive tools such as breakouts to engage everyone, use them.
Develop agility
Being flexible as a facilitator is essential. Expect technology issues to happen because they can happen and you have to be ready. Make sure you have a number of “backup” options that you can draw from. Think ahead about the different scenarios that can happen and how you can handle them.
