A client leading a virtual meeting finished the first agenda item and asked, “Does anyone have any questions?” Predictably, because of the closed-ended nature of the question – they did not.
The same thing happened throughout the meeting; my client asked questions like -“is there anything else?” “Any other comments?” Hardly anyone spoke up. It wasn’t exactly a mime convention, but it was close. The meeting lacked energy and interaction, and every request for comment was met with awkward silence.
My client wanted to find a way to engage the audience, to have them say something, anything! She said she was tired of doing all the heavy lifting.
I created a template for her next meeting; I am calling The Meeting Assistant.
The Meeting Assistant provides space to add agenda items and pre-planned transitions.
The client laid out her next meeting and sent me the draft copy. The first item was a recap of last month’s minutes. She had added her talking points and a question she planned to transition with.
Here is the example:
“…..Finally, Steve gave an overview of the reserve levels anticipated for the close of the current fiscal year and projected for the upcoming year fiscal year.
“Jake, let me come to you and get your comments on where you think we are at from a financial point of view and then let’s go to Janet and hear how she plans to handle Q1.”
On a virtual call, the best questions are overhead and directed. You can ask the best open-ended question, but without a target, it’s going to create silence. Silence kills energy, and must be avoided at all costs.
On TV, radio shows, and podcasts they avoid silence because professional broadcasters know how to direct conversations and get people to talk. In this new virtual reality, we must all learn some of these tricks.
The good news is my client used the template and transitioned with these questions, and it worked!
Jake and Janet (Names changed to protect the innocent) spoke up and had a surprising amount to say. The meeting was interactive and lively. People reported it was the best session they’d had for a long time.
The tools that make a difference and help us change our behavior are always simple.
The Meeting Assistant is no different; it enables you to navigate a meeting and have the best version of yourself show up.
Using the Meeting Assistant will revolutionize your meetings and double the amount of interaction and engagement you get.
If you want your meetings to become even more interactive and want your team to lead better meetings and get an advantage over your competition, let’s schedule a call and get to work.
Stuart 818-422 3626
Schedule time with me: https://www.meetingbird.com/m/r1e7e3q8w
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