Let’s face it: Conference calls can be boring. That’s why so many people call in, press the mute button, and spend time getting other work done. If you want your team to be engaged during your next virtual meeting, try helping them establish a connection from the start. Open the conference line a couple minutes ahead of schedule, and stay on the line while people join. If it’s a small group, use this opportunity to model the kind of collegiality you want to see during the meeting itself: “Hi, Desmond! Looks like rain where you are. How’s the weather?” You don’t have to make brilliant conversation — just the small talk you would make if you were all gathering in one room. This will give attendees the opportunity to interact casually without taking time out of the meeting itself. With bigger groups, this isn’t always possible, so consider using the first few minutes to share update. Before the meeting, ask everyone to send in a sentence about their work. Share the list digitally right before the meeting starts, so people can view, add their own updates, and discuss while stragglers trickle in.
Adapted from Running Virtual Meetings (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series)
