How to Make Virtual Meetings More Effective

by Heather Muir

As you and your teams navigate working remotely, we’re publishing weekly tips for leading virtual meetings and best practices for presenting virtually.

For this week’s tips, here are 3 best practices for optimizing your virtual meetings.

Your delivery matters.
Remain composed; pause, make eye contact, sit up straight. Amplify your energy; gesture and express enthusiasm. Speak TO your camera so you are making virtual eye contact with your fellow meeting attendees.
Ask questions often.
Use closed questions to take the group’s temperature and open-ended questions to open-up the discussion. And remember, don’t be afraid to call on people – this will keep everyone engaged and you’ll avoid those awkward seconds of silence.
Recognize and leverage ideas.
Expressing appreciation and highlighting someone’s ideas is a sure-fire way to get them to contribute again. It also demonstrates that you are listening and value their input – once again, reinforcing their purpose in the meeting.

Look for our next batch of tips for leading virtual meetings and presenting virtually next week.

If you have a virtual communication topic that you would like for us to address in a tip, let us know; we’re here to help.

Heather Muir

As Vice President of Marketing, Heather directs Mandel’s marketing, branding, and communications strategies in collaboration with the Executive Team. In addition, Heather leads Mandel’s public- and industry-relations activities. Prior to joining Mandel in 2010, Heather held several marketing and communications roles within the learning and training industry. She is also an active member of the Association for Talent Development (ATD), Training Industry, Inc.; eLearningGuild; and the Association of Briefing Program Managers (ABPM). Heather holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Davis, and has completed graduate courses in business and entrepreneurship at the University of Washington.