Pants Not Required! Plus Other Virtual Meetings Tips
Well before COVID-19, we talked about the importance of virtual meetings and utilizing Zoom. After two years of working during a pandemic, many teams are experiencing Zoom fatigue. It’s essential to ensure that you aren’t having meetings just to have meetings. They still need to be effective and efficient, and if they are unnecessary - don’t have them.
Death by Meeting by Patrick Lencioni is a fabulous book for any leader. It gives you a quick glimpse into holding effective meetings. We’ve outlined that list below.
Know the Purpose of Your Meeting
Set a purpose
Stick to that purpose
Only invite the key players
Clarify What is at Stake
No one wants a pointless meeting
Give them a reason to care
Hook Them from the Outset
Engage everyone in the first 10 minutes
Be creative and dramatic
Set Aside Enough Time
Accomplish what you set out to accomplish
End with clarity and commitment from your team
Provoke Conflict
Conflict is not personal
Conflict should create growth
Seek out opposing views and give them the opportunity to be aired
Other important aspects of virtual meetings that have recently emerged are maintaining your company culture and team building. These are increasingly important aspects of retaining and attracting team members. Be intentional about adding team-building activities to every meeting. Don’t create another meeting just to have a discussion. Here are a few of our suggestions. Don’t try to incorporate all of them. Just pick your favorites, and then mix them up.
Start the meeting with an icebreaker
When a big sporting event occurs, ask everyone to wear team swag
Create meeting themes
Offer “shout outs” or “job well done” at each meeting, making sure you recognize everyone’s hard work and dedication
If you’d like to learn more about Death by Meeting and other great books or resources from Patrick Lencioni and the Table Group, you can check them out HERE.