Over the past five months of living with Coronavirus, we have experienced some interesting changes in the way companies do business and how we work individually. Taking face-to-face conversations online is the next best thing to in-person meetings.
Today’s blog has some good ideas for hosting a video meeting. Next week we will cover the etiquette of attending a video meeting.
Before the conference, send a meeting request with an attached agenda to all attendees describing the purpose of the call, who will be attending, and any expectations for what needs to be achieved during the session.
As the Host of the meeting, you will be moderating the procedure. Here are a few steps to consider:
Make introductions. Meetings should always start with introductions. If you’re hosting the call, make sure everyone is properly announced so that all attendees are aware of who’s on the line. If people don’t know each other, a round of brief introductions that increases awareness of everyone’s roles and responsibilities can make the rest of the call go more smoothly.
Ensure everyone is on mute. Let everyone know they should have their microphone muted unless they are speaking. Encouraging participants to mute their microphone will make the meeting more productive and reduce hectic background noise and distractions that we all currently have at home.
Get everyone involved. As the leader, take time throughout the meeting to ask for feedback, comments, questions, and concerns and open up topics for discussion to ensure everyone is on the same page, paying attention and has the opportunity to speak up.
Summarize the meeting. Clearly communicate distributed tasks, deadlines, and next steps to ensure priorities are in line. When planning a meeting, be sure to set aside the last 5 minutes for questions and any clarifications that need to be made. Following the meeting, share a meeting recap including deliverables and next steps.
Video alternative. Video conferencing can work very well, but it relies on a strong internet connection that may not always be available. People need the ability to participate via audio. Make it clear that video-first is the new norm.
We hope you found this information useful and interesting. Next week our blog will cover the Etiquette of Video Meetings. When you have questions about your insurance, we have the answers.
Dean & Draper is a Trusted Choice insurance agency representing over 200 insurance companies. For over 36 years we have offered a trusted freedom of choice to our clients. ContactUs.
The recommendation(s), advice and contents of this material are provided for informational purposes only and do not purport to address every possible legal obligation, hazard, code violation, loss potential or exception to good practice. Dean & Draper Insurance Agency specifically disclaims any warranty or representation that acceptance of any recommendations or advice contained herein will make any premises, property or operation safe or in compliance with any law or regulation. Under no circumstances should this material or your acceptance of any recommendations or advice contained herein be construed as establishing the existence or availability of any insurance coverage with Dean & Draper Insurance Agency. By providing this information to you, Dean & Draper Insurance Agency does not assume (and specifically disclaims) any duty, undertaking or responsibility to you. The decision to accept or implement any recommendation(s) or advice contained in this material must be made by you.
©2020 Dean & Draper Insurance Agency All Rights Reserved.
Sources: Harvard Business Review, Conference Calling, Microsoft