The new team meetings companies are having over "zoom" or "teams" provide several interesting challenges to the meeting leader. Among them is getting engagement, participation and keeping the attention of remote workers.
YOU CAN TELL
Most participants are on the video call but have their cell phone in their hands. They have chosen not to or don't know how to turn the email notifications off, on their home computer. Even though the video is zoomed in on their faces, you can see that they just woke up, have not yet had their coffee, or are just not that interested. You can tell, when they are not paying attention, which is much of the time.
QUICK TIPS TO GET AND KEEP ENGAGEMENT
1) Have a no cell phone rule. Tough to enforce but get agreement from everyone.
2) Have a bring your best energy agreement. This is just a mutual acknowledgment that we can either lift others up to our energy level or we can bring them down to our energy level. Agree as a team to bring your best and brightest energy to the video call.
3) Keep it interactive. Instead of reading from a script, take turns reading. Get and ask for feedback throughout the presentation. Call on people that have not been speaking.
HERE IS THE BEST IDEA
Start each meeting off this way and decide how long you want it to last. If you have an hour meeting, give it 15 minutes at the beginning and it will affect the entire rest of the meeting. If you have an 8 person meeting, everyone can go. If you have 20 or more people on the video meeting, choose 8.
Prepare the team prior to the first time you roll this out on them. This will give you the best chance for success and you will be amazed at the power of a little preparation. Send the following email at least 24 hours prior to the next team meeting.
SUBJECT: Peer recognition on the next team video call
Team, so many people are doing amazing things behind the scenes. Rather than me point them out, I would like for you to recognize your peers. Be prepared to talk about the following: 1) one thing you are especially proud about 2) Something you saw someone else do that you admired or it made you proud to have them on our team. 3) Some good news that involves someone else.
As always, be the most prepared person in the room, when it is your time to speak and bring your best energy.
Thank you, BOSSMAN or BOSSWOMAN
Your meeting energy will change, engagement will grow and it will continue throughout the meeting. Try it and lets us know how it went.
PBC
