Having at least one remote participant in a meeting
is going to be the new normal.
But how do we make sure that
everyone feels included and heard in this new hybrid setup?
Hi, my name is Sabine,
and I am excited to share these five practices with you
that will help you run successful hybrid meetings.
Make the most out of asynchronous communication.
You have an important conversation? Take it online!
Make sure that all of your colleagues are aware of the conversation
and have an easy way to contribute.
Stay on top of your project management.
Using online spaces to stay aligned, like Trello, Asana, Notion, you name it,
will lead to a more productive meeting.
Run asynchronous feedback rounds
using collaborative apps like the Google Suite or Office 365.
Collect input from your colleagues before the meeting.
Everybody has an equal opportunity to share their ideas,
and you have something to start with at the meeting itself.
Remember to take notes during every important meeting,
so that everyone has access to all the essential things,
whether they attended the meeting or not.
Now, let's move to the “how” of running the actual hybrid meetings.
Set some common ground rules.
When people gather in a meeting room,
it's easy to forget about the ones who are joining online.
Our brains are just funny that way.
People who are present with us in 3D seem a lot more real
than people joining in online.
However, it is exactly in these situations
that your remote colleagues feel the most left out.
That is why your entire team should get on board
with the following practices:
Make sure everybody is visible on camera.
Consider having everyone turn on their laptop cameras and audio muted,
so that everyone can see each other better.
Ensure that your audio is flawless. It can go a very long way!
If remote participants can't hear you properly,
they will have trouble joining the discussion.
Don't share the screen if you don't need to.
People will see each other, and you, a lot better.
Try to avoid side conversations,
and that includes jokes as well as situational humor.
If the whole room bursts out laughing,
your online colleagues will have trouble following.
If it does happen, just quickly explain,
so that they can laugh along too.
Maintain eye contact with all your attendees.
Otherwise, they might get a sense that you've completely forgotten about them.
Have a safe word.
Leanne Hughes, who is a facilitation expert,
advises on having a safe word that you can call out
if somebody “breaks the rules”.
You can even pick a funny one to make everyone laugh.
It is much more polite
to remind people to be mindful of their online colleagues in that way,
rather than scolding them like a teacher.
Open your meeting in an inclusive manner.
Make sure to bring everyone in,
whether they are in person or remote, to set the right tone.
Give a special shoutout to your online colleagues.
Hey Matt, how are things in Australia?
Use an icebreaker to set the stage,
lighten the mood and spark the conversation.
When interacting with your attendees, be remote first.
Whenever there is an open question, turn to your online colleagues first.
It will help them feel respected,
and also, it helps you to not forget about them.
People in the room can be more dominant and take up more time,
so make sure that you receive just as much input from your colleagues online.
Keep an eye out for people unmuting themselves
and other subtle cues that are easy to miss
when you're always looking around the room.
Use technology creatively.
Using tech tools like Q&A, live polls or virtual whiteboards
can help you level the playing field and collect insights from everyone equally.
Just treat your hybrid meeting as an online meeting!
Run more inclusive brainstorming sessions by using tools like Miro, Mural or Slido.
Ask your teammates to vote in a poll.
You can use polls to make decisions more democratically
and give everyone equal opportunity.
Run a mini-Q&A session at the end of the meeting
to give people a chance to ask their clarifying questions
and express their thoughts.
And that's it!
As we've just seen,
hybrid meetings come with their own set of rules and challenges
and making them work will require some effort from all of us.
However, finding a new and inclusive way to run hybrid meetings
will be essential for efficient and enjoyable teamwork in the future.
Good luck and don't worry, we are all new to this!
If you found this video useful, like it and subscribe for more.
See you next time!