How do you set clear expectations and goals for a virtual meeting?
Virtual meetings are a common and convenient way to collaborate with your team, clients, or partners. However, they can also be challenging to manage and lead effectively, especially if you don't set clear expectations and goals beforehand. In this article, you'll learn how to prepare for a successful virtual meeting by following these six steps:
Before you schedule a virtual meeting, ask yourself what you want to achieve from it. Is it to share information, brainstorm ideas, make decisions, or solve problems? Having a clear and specific purpose will help you to invite the right people, plan the agenda, and communicate the objectives. It will also help you to avoid unnecessary or unproductive meetings that waste time and energy.
Once you have defined the purpose of your virtual meeting, you need to decide who needs to attend and why. Ideally, you should only invite those who have a direct role or interest in the meeting topic, and avoid adding too many people who might not contribute or benefit from it. You should also consider the time zones, availability, and preferences of your participants, and use a tool like Doodle or Calendly to find a suitable time slot.
A well-structured agenda is essential for a virtual meeting, as it helps you to organize the content, allocate the time, and assign the roles. You should create a detailed agenda that outlines the topics, objectives, activities, and outcomes of each segment of the meeting, and share it with the participants at least 24 hours in advance. You should also indicate who will be leading, presenting, or facilitating each part, and what materials or tools they will need.
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Agree 24 hours in advance. First cover closed actions since the previous session. Confirm no editions to the agenda and amend as needed. I’m a fan of letting the mentee go first through the agenda but it never hurts to ask the mentor if they have something pressing or something to share first - sometimes feedback first can help drive an improved conversation. Notes are also taken during each session while the agenda is the “what we will do” and can easily be checked off as completed and done.
Besides sharing the agenda, you should also communicate the expectations and ground rules for your virtual meeting. For example, you should clarify how you want the participants to prepare, participate, and follow up on the meeting. You should also set some norms for etiquette, such as muting the microphone when not speaking, using the chat function for questions or comments, and turning on the camera if possible. You can use a tool like Slido or Mentimeter to collect feedback or questions before or during the meeting.
One of the biggest challenges of virtual meetings is to keep the participants engaged and attentive, especially if the meeting is long or complex. To avoid boredom, distraction, or confusion, you should use a variety of methods and techniques to interact with your audience and encourage their involvement. For example, you can use polls, quizzes, breakout rooms, or games to break the ice, check understanding, generate ideas, or stimulate discussion. You can also use visual aids, such as slides, charts, or diagrams, to illustrate your points and make them more memorable.
At the end of your virtual meeting, you should review the goals and outcomes that you have achieved, and summarize the main points and action items. You should also ask for feedback and suggestions from the participants on how to improve the meeting process or results. You should then follow up with a written summary or report that recaps the key takeaways, decisions, and tasks, and assigns the responsibilities and deadlines. You should also thank the participants for their time and contribution, and acknowledge their achievements and efforts.
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