How to organize virtual meetings and training sessions effectively. Having facilitated numerous virtual training sessions, meetings, and presentations, I can attest that “virtual meeting fatigue” is a real condition. “Simply put, we didn’t evolve to spend eight hours a day speaking to people on a screen. Our brain is using an enormous amount of energy to stay focused online.”/Three Cures For Virtual Meeting Fatigue, According to New Microsoft ResearchForbes
If you organize virtual meetings or training sessions, I have several tips for you:
✔️Keep your sessions short. Based on my experience, 30-45 minute sessions work the best.
✔️Keep your attendees engaged. If it is a meeting, make sure everyone attending it has an opportunity to provide their input. If it is a training session, incorporate engaging activities: ice-breakers, chat, breakout groups, polls, etc.
✔️Turn on your camera while facilitating a meeting. Make sure you have good lighting. Your light source should come from a window. To avoid being backlit, make sure you are facing the window or you are parallel to it.
✔️Check your audio. Poor audio quality is usually the # 1 complaint during virtual events. A headset with a mic is usually the best option for the best sound quality.
What strategies do you employ to keep your participants engaged?
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