Creating Effective Virtual Meetings

As a leader, one of your underappreciated responsibilities is shaping the atmosphere of your company. But how do you intentionally create that positive energy? A good place for you to do this is in meetings. Start meetings by asking everyone to share good news, a recent win, or something they’re grateful for. How does this help? ☑️ It sets the tone for positivity and openness. ☑️ It builds personal connections. ☑️ When you do this regularly, it reinforces a culture of positivity. Leaders who consistently create a welcoming atmosphere inspire loyalty.  And people enjoy work more, so they achieve more together. Consistent effort transforms meetings from dreaded obligations to spaces where ideas thrive. How do you create a good vibe in your workplace? #leadership #management #strategy

Are 80% of your meetings effective? Do people have at least four 2+ hour blocks of focus time every week? Scaling effective meetings, asynchronous collaboration and time for "deep work" across thousands of employees is challenging. Too many leaders shrug and give up: "it's just the way things are." ⭐ It might be hard, but it's totally possible to scale better use of time: 📅 Dropbox employees say 69% of meetings are effective, impressive vs research showing both executives and employees told Future Forum that ~50% of all meetings should be eliminated entirely. 🕖 Dropbox also got to >80% compliance with core collaboration hours around the globe -- a massive win, especially when you realize "one size doesn't fit all" on almost any work practice. 💪 Atlassian saw a 31% increase in progress against weekly goals when combining better calendar management with weekly goal-setting. 🔎 Slack got to 85% of employees saying Focus Fridays and No Meeting Weeks were a significant benefit to them -- higher than many monetary or services benefits. What's the secret sauce? 1️⃣ Aligned Executives: in both cases, the executive suite from CEO on down understood that excessive meetings and a lack of time for deep work were leading to burnout and lower quality work. 2️⃣ Pilot then Expand: We experimented with No Meeting Weeks in the Product, Design & Eng team at Slack, refined it, then partnered with functional leaders to translate specific meeting types and workflows in order to roll it out. 3️⃣ Measure Progress: A quarterly pulse survey with results by function and Spotify's meetings cost calculator are examples of pretty straightforward ways to measure progress. Tools like Microsoft Viva also help! 4️⃣ Reinforce Regularly: Discuss survey results in exec staff quarterly, build reinforcement into leadership conversations, All Hands meetings and comms. A cross-functional task force can bring ownership closer to functions. ❓ What practices have you scaled in your organization? Where have you seen programs fail to take hold? 🏗️ Dig deeper: 🔗 Links to Atlassian's time boxing and goal setting experiments by Molly Sands, PhD and team, Dropbox's virtual-first toolkit by Allison Vendt, Melanie Rosenwasser and Alastair Simpson and the Slack Focus Friday and Maker Week content I did with Christina Janzer and Kristen Swanson in comments. Would also recommend Kasia Triantafelo's collection of insights from the Running Remote community, linked as well. This is Part 2 of a series on 2025 Resolution: Make Better Use of Time. Thanks Karrah Phillips, Dave O'Neill, the folks listed above and Kevin Delaney, Tim Glowa (IBDC.D, GCB.D) & Nick Petrie for inspiring me to pick this back up! #Meetings #Productivity #Focus #DeepWork #FocusTime #Collaboration #Leadership #ChangeManagement #EmployeeExperience #EX

Friends - do you experience Zoom fatigue and wonder how to reduce the 'brain drain'? Interestingly, about 20% of the population are more likely to suffer from . . . . . . almost debilitating side effects from virtual meetings, particularly when the camera is on It's not that you are camera shy You may not have any problem speaking up However, even ONE virtual meeting makes your head feel 'heavy' Chances are you are (a) highly empathetic and maybe even (b) a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) Zoom fatigue is more acute for those people who read others easier and experience more empathy - maybe you can even 'feel' what another person is feeling There is nothing wrong with you It is because your brain is processing more information per second than the average person Basically, your brain is getting more of a workout, espcially when your visual system is engaged 👀 Visual processing takes MUCH more energy than hearing > combine this with the fact that you are trying to process more data from that visual image (or images) . . . It can be exhausting!! Here are some top tips to help reduce the Brain Drain of virtual meetings. 1️⃣ Turn your camera off if it's not required for you to be on camera. 2️⃣ Look away from the screen and simply listen. 3️⃣ Pause periodically to 'feel' yourself in your physical space (it helps draw the brain back in). 4️⃣ If it's a long meeting (and you aren't needed constantly) - take a quick break and step away. 5️⃣ Practice deep, intentional breathing to help draw your mind back to your physical body. Whether you are in virtual meetings or busy working away in front of your computer screen >> breaks are critical for your health and your brain!! My client asked me yesterday: "How many breaks do you need to take in an average working day, anyway? I only take a break for lunch and when I go to the bathroom!" I said: "Your brain looses productivity and efficiency between 45 min - 75 min of activity." 💡 Taking 3 Brain Breaks a day is important! They only need to be for about 10 minutes It's important that you NOT look at your phone ... and do something that doesn't require much thought (Take a quick walk, daydream, stretch, meditate, or just breathe) This will keep you feeling more energized and more productive, even during a busy day! Also a bonus, it helps boost your #mindset and enables you to access your #zoneofgenius easier. Keep thriving!! 😊

Hybrid Meetings ≠ Inclusive Meetings. I’ve lived it - and here’s 5 practical tips to ensure everyone has a voice, regardless of location. I spent more than 10,000 hours in hybrid meetings while as a remote leader for The Clorox Company. I was often the 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 remote attendee - while the rest of the group sat together in a conference room at HQ. Here’s what I learned the hard way: 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲... ...by showing who gets heard, who feels seen, and who gets left out. If you're leading a distributed or hybrid team, how you structure your meetings sends a loud message about what (and who) matters. 𝟱 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝘆𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: 1️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 – who will actively combat distance bias and invite input from all meeting members 2️⃣ 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗿 – to monitor the chat and the raised hands, to launch polls and to free up the facilitator to focus on the flow 3️⃣ 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝗶𝗻 - so that there is equal access to the chat, polls, and reactions 4️⃣ 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗱𝘆 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 – pair remote team members with in-room allies to help make space in the conversation and ensure they can see and hear everything 5️⃣ 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘂𝗽 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 – be ready with a Plan B for audio, video, or connectivity issues in the room 𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳? 𝗧𝗿𝘆 𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹-𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. If even one person is remote, have everyone log in from their own device from their own workspace to create a level playing field. 🔗 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 for creating location-inclusive distributed teams in this Nano Tool I wrote for Wharton Executive Education: https://lnkd.in/eUKdrDVn #LIPostingDayApril

Ever notice how some leaders seem to have a sixth sense for meeting dynamics while others plow through their agenda oblivious to glazed eyes, side conversations, or everyone needing several "bio breaks" over the course of an hour? Research tells us executives consider 67% of virtual meetings failures, and a staggering 92% of employees admit to multitasking during meetings. After facilitating hundreds of in-person, virtual, and hybrid sessions, I've developed my "6 E's Framework" to transform the abstract concept of "reading the room" into concrete skills anyone can master. (This is exactly what I teach leaders and teams who want to dramatically improve their meeting and presentation effectiveness.) Here's what to look for and what to do: 1. Eye Contact: Notice where people are looking (or not looking). Are they making eye contact with you or staring at their devices? Position yourself strategically, be inclusive with your gaze, and respectfully acknowledge what you observe: "I notice several people checking watches, so I'll pick up the pace." 2. Energy: Feel the vibe - is it friendly, tense, distracted? Conduct quick energy check-ins ("On a scale of 1-10, what's your energy right now?"), pivot to more engaging topics when needed, and don't hesitate to amplify your own energy through voice modulation and expressive gestures. 3. Expectations: Regularly check if you're delivering what people expected. Start with clear objectives, check in throughout ("Am I addressing what you hoped we'd cover?"), and make progress visible by acknowledging completed agenda items. 4. Extraneous Activities: What are people doing besides paying attention? Get curious about side conversations without defensiveness: "I see some of you discussing something - I'd love to address those thoughts." Break up presentations with interactive elements like polls or small group discussions. 5. Explicit Feedback: Listen when someone directly tells you "we're confused" or "this is exactly what we needed." Remember, one vocal participant often represents others' unspoken feelings. Thank people for honest feedback and actively solicit input from quieter participants. 6. Engagement: Monitor who's participating and how. Create varied opportunities for people to engage with you, the content, and each other. Proactively invite (but don't force) participation from those less likely to speak up. I've shared my complete framework in the article in the comments below. In my coaching and workshops with executives and teams worldwide, I've seen these skills transform even the most dysfunctional meeting cultures -- and I'd be thrilled to help your company's speakers and meeting leaders, too. What meeting dynamics challenge do you find most difficult to navigate? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments! #presentationskills #virualmeetings #engagement

🔥 Want to Run Meetings People Actually Want to Attend? 🔥 We’ve all left a meeting thinking: "That could’ve been an email." 😩 But here’s the hidden truth: 💡 The difference between time-wasting and high-impact meetings? It’s all about what happens before the meeting starts. ✅ PREPARATION is the unlock and the most overlooked leadership habit that instantly boosts alignment, collaboration, and impact. Here are 4 research-backed strategies to make your next meeting actually worth it 👇 1️⃣ Define the “Why” Clearly • Ask: “Would this be better solved asynchronously?” • If yes = email. If no = craft a clear purpose statement. 2️⃣ Curate the Guest List Thoughtfully • Invite only essential decision-makers. • Clarify: Who needs to inform? Who needs to decide? 3️⃣ Design the Experience Intentionally • Pre-circulate materials with clear reading guidance. • Structure the agenda around key decisions. 4️⃣ Set the Stage for Engagement • Assign pre-work to spark quality discussion. • Set expectations for participation in advance. As a professor, coach, and leadership advisor, I’m passionate about helping leaders and teams become more cohesive, high-performing, and resilient. ✨ When preparation becomes a habit, you’ll see: ✔️ Faster decision-making ✔️ More inclusive conversations ✔️ Better use of everyone’s time 🧠 Pro tip: The next time you schedule a meeting, spend 2x the time preparing. You’ll be amazed at the difference. 💬 Please share in the comments, what’s your #1 meeting prep tip or best practice? ⬇️ #Leadership #Coaching #ExecutivePresence #FutureOfWork #Innovation #Productivity #Thinkers50 #Coach #Professor #Advisor #MG100 #BestAdvice #JennyFernandez

🤐 "Dead Air" on Zoom? It’s Not Disengagement — It’s Cultural. 🌏 Your global team is brilliant, but meetings are met with silence. You ask for input, and… nothing. It’s not that they don’t care. It’s cultural. In many cultures, challenging a leader publicly can feel disrespectful. Speaking up might risk "losing face." So, instead of collaboration, you get cautious nods, and critical ideas die quietly. 💥 The cost? Missed feedback, hidden conflicts, derailed timelines, and talent feeling unseen and unheard. But it doesn’t have to be this way. 🚀 Here’s how to encourage real participation and build trust across cultures — starting today. 1️⃣ Invite opinions privately first. Many cultures value privacy and may hesitate to disagree publicly. Before the meeting, send out an agenda and ask for input by email or private chat. This gives team members time to reflect and feel safer sharing. 2️⃣ Create "round robin" sharing moments. During the call, explicitly invite each person to share, one by one. Use phrases like: "I’d love to hear a quick insight from everyone, no wrong answers." This reduces the fear of interrupting or "stepping out of line." 3️⃣ Model vulnerability as a leader. Share your own uncertainties or challenges first. For example: "I’m not sure this is the best approach — I’d really value your perspective." When you show it’s safe to be open, your team will follow. 4️⃣ Acknowledge and validate contributions publicly. After someone shares, affirm them clearly. For example: "Thank you for that perspective — it really helps us see this from a new angle." This builds psychological safety and encourages future participation. 5️⃣ Use cultural "mirroring" techniques. Mirror verbal and non-verbal cues appropriate to different cultures (e.g., nodding, using supportive phrases). Show respect for varying communication styles instead of forcing a "one-size-fits-all" dynamic. ✨Imagine meetings where every voice is heard and your team’s full potential is unlocked. Ready to stop the silence and turn diversity into your superpower? #CulturalCompetence #GlobalLeadership #InclusiveTeams #PsychologicalSafety #CrossCulturalCommunication 

I’ve been thinking a lot about the 90 minute virtual meeting paradox. We spend the first 30 minutes on welcoming everyone and introductions, the next 15 on framing, and then a few people share thoughts. Then, just when the conversation gets meaningful, the host abruptly announces "We're out of time!” and throws a few rushed closing thoughts and announcements together. Sound familiar? We crave deep, meaningful, trust-based exchanges in virtual meeting environments that feel both tiring and rushed. It seems like as soon as momentum builds and insights emerge, it’s time to wrap up. Share-outs become a regurgitation of top-level ideas—usually focused on the most soundbite-ready insights and omitting those seeds of ideas that didn’t have time to be explored further. And sometimes, we even cite these meetings as examples of participation in a process, even when that participation is only surface level to check the participation box.  After facilitating and attending hundreds (thousands?) of virtual meetings, I've found four practices that create space for more engagement and depth: 1. Send a thoughtful and focused pre-work prompt at least a few days ahead of time that invites reflection before gathering. When participants arrive having already engaged with the core question(s), it’s much easier to jump right into conversation. Consider who designs these prompts and whose perspectives they center. 2. Replace round-robin introductions with a focused check-in question that directly connects to the meeting's purpose. "What's one tension you're navigating in this work?" for example yields more insight than sharing organizational affiliations. Be mindful of who speaks first and how difference cultural communication styles may influence participation.  3. Structure the agenda with intentionally expanding time blocks—start tight (and facilitate accordingly), and then create more spaciousness as the meeting progresses. This honors the natural rhythm of how trust and dialogue develop, and allows for varying approaches to processing and sharing.  4. Prioritize accessibility and inclusion in every aspect of the meeting. Anticipating and designing for participants needs means you’re thinking about language justice, technology and materials accessibility, neurodivergence, power dynamics, and content framing. Asking “What do you need to fully participate in this meeting?” ahead of time invites participants to share their needs. These meeting suggestions aren’t just about efficiency—they’re about creating spaces where authentic relationships and useful conversations can actually develop. Especially at times when people are exhausted and working hard to manage their own energy, a well-designed meeting can be a welcome space to engage. I’m curious to hear from others: What's your most effective strategy for holding substantive meetings in time-constrained virtual spaces? What meeting structures have you seen that actually work?

Do you have trouble getting the entire team to participate in group discussions, brainstorming sessions, etc.? To get people talking in group settings, create a safe and inclusive atmosphere. Here's how: 1. Set Ground Rules: Make it clear that all opinions are valued and that it's a judgment-free zone. 2. Small Talk First: Warm up with light topics so folks get comfortable speaking. 3. Use Open-Ended Questions: Questions that can't be answered with just "yes" or "no" open up the floor for more detailed discussion. 4. Direct Invitations: Sometimes people just need a nudge. Call on them directly but offer an easy out like, "Feel free to pass." 5. Silent Moments: Pause and allow silence. This gives people time to gather their thoughts and often encourages quieter folks to chime in. 6. Positive Reinforcement: When someone does speak up, validate their contribution, even if it's just a simple "great point." 7. Anonymity: Use tools or methods that let people contribute anonymously. Then discuss the anonymous points as a group. 8. Break into Smaller Groups: Big settings can be intimidating. Smaller group discussions can make it easier for people to open up. 9. Rotate Roles: Give different team members the role of facilitator or note-taker in each meeting to encourage active participation. 10. Follow-Up: If someone doesn't speak up but you think they have valuable insights, follow up privately. They may be more comfortable sharing one-on-one. Remember, the goal is not to pressure people into speaking but to make it easier for them to do so if they wish. #leadership #teambuilding #communication

We don't need more meetings, we need better ones. Here's how: Ever wonder what sets apart those game-changing meetings that leave everyone inspired and empowered? Here are 8 tried-and-tested rules straight from the playbook of Google's former CEO, Eric Schmidt, to transform your meetings into powerful moments of collaboration and innovation. Let's dive in: 1️⃣ Start with a Purpose: ↳ Every meeting should have a clear objective. ↳ What do you aim to achieve? ↳ Define your purpose upfront to ensure everyone's aligned and focused. 2️⃣ Keep it Lean & Mean: ↳ Respect everyone's time. ↳ Stick to the essentials and avoid unnecessary tangents. ↳ Efficiency breeds productivity! 3️⃣ Invite Only the Essentials: ↳ Less is more. Only invite individuals who truly contribute to the agenda. ↳ Quality over quantity leads to more impactful discussions. 4️⃣ Encourage Open Dialogue: ↳ Create a safe space for diverse perspectives. ↳ Encourage everyone to speak up and share their insights without fear of judgment. 5️⃣ Embrace Disagreement: ↳ Healthy debates spark innovation. ↳ Don't shy away from differing opinions; instead, leverage them to uncover new insights and solutions. 6️⃣ Set Actionable Takeaways: ↳ Ensure every meeting concludes with actionable next steps. ↳ Who's responsible for what? ↳ Clarify roles and responsibilities to drive progress. 7️⃣ Stay Flexible & Adapt: ↳ Be prepared to pivot if needed. ↳ Circumstances change, and so should your approach. ↳ Stay agile to keep moving forward. 8️⃣ Lead with Empathy: ↳ Above all, remember that behind every idea is a person. ↳ Show empathy, listen actively, and foster a culture of respect and understanding. 📌 PS...Remember, the true mark of a successful meeting isn't just in the notes you take or the tasks you assign—it's in the relationships you build and the impact you make. *** 👉 Want a high-res PDF of this cheat sheet? Try The Extra Mile Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gaewRGyj You'll get this cheat sheet + more for free.