Have you ever thought to yourself during a Zoom meeting, “This could have been an email?” For quite some time, professionals have sat in front of their computer screens, attending countless virtual meetings that waste their time, tax their brains and drain their energy. Some call this “Zoom fatigue,” but I don’t think Zoom is the culprit. The non-stop barrage of ineffective meetings leads to the fatigue we all feel.
I’m sure you can think of one or two meeting facilitators who routinely appear ill-prepared as they ramble on and fail to reach the point. It doesn’t take long before their influence is impacted to the point where everyone on that call dreads going to meetings they lead.
Have you ever stopped to consider how people feel about attending your meetings? Is it possible that you are leading to their Zoom fatigue?
Five recommendations you can immediately apply to guarantee you lead interactive meetings that make an impact, engage your listeners and influence action.
1. Take Five to Prepare
Avoid trying to wing a meeting. Instead, jot down your talking points before the meeting for five minutes. It’s ok to have your notes down in front of you and refer to them when needed. As long as you pause when you look down and avoid talking to your notes. Your notes will prevent you from rambling and ensure you deliver a message that meets your listener's needs.
2. Turn On Your Camera
Here’s the deal…No one attends a boardroom meeting while standing in the hall, yet we think it's okay to participate in a virtual meeting with the camera off from start to finish. You can only truly connect with your listeners when you can see them. Next time you facilitate a call, ask everyone to turn on their cameras at least in the beginning and when speaking.
3. Take a Step Back
You wouldn’t sit so low at a conference room table that your listeners only saw this much of you (gesture to show what I’m referring to). For your message to make an impact, listeners need to see your gestures. Position yourself so that your upper body is visible to everyone. When your listeners can see your gestures, your message has more impact, increasing the amount of information they hear and understand.
4. Engage with Names
Zoom meetings are a chance to collaborate and engage with your listeners. When you host a meeting, stop occasionally to call on attendees by name. Ask for feedback and offer them an opportunity to ask questions. When listeners know you expect them to participate, they’ll focus on your message. If they don’t hear what you say, you don’t have a chance to influence action.
5. Record the Meeting
Most online platforms can record your meetings. You’ve heard me talk about this before…you always have the option to record yourself on your phone. Recordings allow you to see and listen to yourself through the eyes and ears of your listeners. Take note of what you see and hear and what you want to change.
What are you waiting for? Start today with these five techniques to guarantee the meetings you lead are interactive, engaging and valuable to everyone who took the time to attend, without leading to Zoom fatigue.