Many leaders are familiar with conducting good meetings in person. Have a clear plan, stick to it, and don’t let participants ramble. However, more meetings are being held online, and there is less information on how to conduct them effectively.
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These are the three most important points to remember if you’re asked to host an online meeting.
Suppose the participants have never met in person. Set aside time at the start of the web meeting for introductions. Even if you know your team well, it is a good idea to take a few minutes while people log on to engage in small talk about the weather or recent travels.
Although this may seem like a waste of time, why not get to work? It is worth investing a few minutes in building team rapport. When I interviewed Robert Cialdini, a prominent psychologist, I was told that Americans could not do what other cultures do. This means spending time socializing with others, so there is a commonality between them, making subsequent interactions smoother.
It’s tempting to think of your home as your office, so it’s easy to get distracted and work incessantly. Research shows that too much work can lead to lower productivity, poorer project outcomes and even worse health.
It is essential to maintain a healthy work-life balance when working remotely.
Exercise and movement are important.
Schedule breaks and ensure you take
Please indicate your offline hours in your chat and calendar.
Unwinding from work can be achieved by engaging in hobbies, family time and making plans with your friends.
You’ll likely have to put more effort into getting in touch with your colleagues and employees if you work remotely. Simple things like asking questions before you meet and showing genuine interest can go a long way. These “small talk” moments can help build deeper relationships between employees.
Look for other ways to have “water cooler talk” and “have some office banter.” Keep your boundaries in check. No one will mind if you chat about the latest soccer match in the office for just a few moments. You can also chat with colleagues or employees about topics that are not strictly work-related.
