4 Tips for a Successful Virtual Meeting

Many factors influence the success of your virtual meeting. Some of them, such as your internet connection, maybe beyond your control. Your meeting will be ruined if your internet connection is poor. So, first and foremost, basic pipeline issues must be resolved. When you’re ready to meet virtually, make sure you follow these steps.

1. All Team Members Test Before Joining

It is critical that everyone involved in the upcoming virtual meeting registers for, installs, and tests the software in advance. One of the most common issues with virtual meetings is technical difficulties.

If one of your team members is having trouble logging in or getting their webcam to work, the entire meeting may be delayed. These technological glitches can cause frustration among team members and productivity losses. Everyone should know exactly how to participate effectively in their virtual meeting.

2. Create an Agenda

This tip is applicable to all meetings, not just virtual meetings: always prepare an agenda before the meeting. Your agenda should include specific topics to be discussed as well as any deliverables that should be produced as a result of the meeting. Every agenda should be time-bound, and the time should be carefully monitored.

Nothing is more frustrating than a 30-minute meeting that lasts two hours, especially when the meeting could have been completed in the first 30 minutes. An agenda aids in sticking to the plan, preventing team members from becoming discouraged or frustrated due to wasted time. If there is no agenda, there is no meeting, according to a good rule of thumb.

3. Send Out the Invite and Agenda

Once you’ve created an agenda, make sure to send it along with an event invitation to all team members who will be attending the virtual meeting. This should be done well ahead of the meeting’s start time so that team members have plenty of time to prepare.

The time zones of team members are an important consideration when sending out virtual meeting event invites. When working with remote teams from different countries and time zones, coordinating a meeting can become more difficult.

When meeting with employees who work from home, keep in mind that their schedules may be less rigid than those of in-office employees. A well-defined piece of work from a home policy can help solidify schedules.

4. Use Ice Breakers (When Appropriate)

Because participants typically take a few minutes to log in and set up their technology, virtual meetings can be more difficult to start than traditional meetings. Instead of wasting valuable time chit-chatting in the first few minutes, use ice breakers to encourage the team to get to know one another better.

Whether you like them or not, ice breakers have been shown to improve team cohesion and collaboration. Icebreakers, on the other hand, may not be appropriate for some more serious virtual meetings. In these situations, it’s probably best to just go ahead and start the meeting at the time specified on your meeting invitation.

Need more tips on successfully managing a virtual meeting? Take on the PMP Certification today!