We have all started to adapt to working from home. We've nailed down our rotation of sweats and we've become experts at choosing the perfect meme in Slack. With the amount of time we all have been working from home you would think we would have conquered virtual meetings. Anyone else panic when they hear “turn your camera on”? As the worldwide pandemic continues I think it is time that we (& me) get used to running effective meetings virtually.  Here are a few tips to keep you and your coworkers on track during your next meeting:

Set An Agenda Before The Meeting

During times of uncertainty, we can control our certainty about a few things. What is being discussed in a meeting is one of them. It does not have to be a long drawn out email that has your coworker’s eyeballs rolling back in their head. A simple bullet point agenda with topics to discuss will do.

Turn That Camera On

I know what you're thinking… I haven’t brushed my hair, I’ve wearing the same shirt as yesterday & my house is a mess. Trust me when I say, I understand. As I write this, I am bundled up in my bathrobe. However, communication is better when non-verbal ques are involved. We all respond better when we physically see the person we’re talking to. It makes it easier to follow along with the conversation and lessens the chance of going off into la la land. Don’t stress about how you look, I can almost guarantee you that your coworkers are feeling the same way.

Let All Voices Be Heard

Let’s be honest, listening to one person speak for 30 minutes is BORING. I’m sorry, someone had to say it. When hosting a meeting make sure you give time your colleagues to ask questions or provide their own feedback. You can even include in your meeting agenda that you would like meeting attendees to come prepared with questions and comments. It might even be fun to include a wellness check-in at the beginning or end of each meeting. We all definitely have feelings about trying to navigate a global pandemic.

Short & Sweet

Have you ever stepped out of an hour-long meeting and thought “wow that could have taken 30 minutes.” Now your email is backed up and you have this bubbling frustration for the person who decided to ramble. You can manage your time by sticking to your agenda. Try not to stray away, unless what you’re pivoting to is important and relates to your talking points. Don’t be that person who wastes your time and most importantly your team’s time.

As we continue to navigate the pandemic, I think it would be safe to say that virtual meetings are here to stay. Practice good habits and maybe (no guarantees) run a brush through your hair.