Presentation to the Bangor Area Project Managers Network meeting on February 1, 2017
The presentation explores the benefits and pitfalls of leading virtual project meetings, including some recommended best practices.
The Path to Product Excellence: Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Enhancing Commun...
Virtual meetings bapmn_20170201
1. Leading Effective Virtual MeetingsLeading Effective Virtual Meetings
Presentation to the BAPMN February 1, 2017
Developed in partnership with
2. Leading Effective Virtual Meetings
Presentation Topics
• What is a Virtual Meeting?
• Benefits of Virtual Meetings
• Inherent Problems with Virtual Meetings
• Best Practices for Virtual Meetings
• Tips and Tricks for Virtual Meetings
4. What Is A Virtual Meeting
“A virtual event involves interacting people
sharing a common virtual environment on
the web, rather than meeting in a physical
location. Virtual events are highly
interactive, looking and feeling a lot like their
physical counterparts.”
SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_event
5. What Is A Virtual Meeting
Same
Place
Same
Time
Same
Place
Different
Time
Co-located meetings
occur in the same
physical space.
These are limited by
the physical
availability of
participants.
• Meeting
• Presentation
• War Room
• Shared
Displays
6. What Is A Virtual Meeting
Same
Place
Different
Time
Different
Place
Different
Time
Asynchronous
meetings do not
require participants to
be available at the
same time, improving
collaboration.
• Email
• Recorded Audio/Video
• Discussion Board
• Blog/Wiki
7. What Is A Virtual Meeting
Same
Place
Same
Time
Same
Place
Different
Time
Different
Place
Same
Time
Different
Place
Different
Time
A Virtual Meeting lets
groups overcome the
lack of physical
proximity, but allows
more collaboration
and interactivity.
Examples include:
• Conference Calls
• Video Conferences
• Web Conferences
• IM/Text Messages
8. Leading Effective Virtual Meetings
Presentation Topics
• What is a Virtual Meeting?
• Benefits of Virtual Meetings
9. Benefits of Virtual Meetings
• Reduce reliance on email
• Increase productivity by reducing travel
• Reduce costs of traveling
• Improve communications among team
members
• Increase participation and encourage
additional POV
10. Benefits of Virtual Meetings
• Reduce reliance on email
• Increase productivity by reducing travel
• Reduce costs of traveling
• Improve communications among team
members
• Increase participation and encourage
additional POV
…so what can go wrong…
11. Leading Effective Virtual Meetings
Presentation Topics
• What is a Virtual Meeting?
• Benefits of Virtual Meetings
• Inherent Problems with Virtual Meetings
12. Inherent Problems with Virtual Meetings
Recent Survey of Meeting Participants
15% daydreamed
1% surfed the web
3% checked email
5% did other work
55% gave their full attention
In-Person Meetings
SOURCE: Hall, K. (2007) Speed Lead: Faster, Simpler Ways to Manage People, Projects and Teams in
Complex Companies London/Boston:Nicholas Brealey
13. Inherent Problems with Virtual Meetings
Recent Survey of Meeting Participants
15% daydreamed
1% surfed the web
3% checked email
5% did other work
55% gave their full attention
13% daydreamed
13% surfed the web
25% checked email
27% did other work
23% gave their full attention
In-Person Meetings Audio Conferences
SOURCE: Hall, K. (2007) Speed Lead: Faster, Simpler Ways to Manage People, Projects and Teams in
Complex Companies London/Boston:Nicholas Brealey
14. Inherent Problems with Virtual Meetings
Recent Survey of Meeting Participants
15% daydreamed
1% surfed the web
3% checked email
5% did other work
55% gave their full attention
8% were not fully clothed!
13% daydreamed
13% surfed the web
25% checked email
27% did other work
23% gave their full attention
In-Person Meetings Audio Conferences
SOURCE: Hall, K. (2007) Speed Lead: Faster, Simpler Ways to Manage People, Projects and Teams in
Complex Companies London/Boston:Nicholas Brealey
15. Inherent Problems with Virtual Meetings
Recent Survey of Meeting Participants
SOURCE: Pullan, P. Mindmap of Conference Call Frustrations from 2008 Survey available from
http://www.conferencecallsmadeeasy.com
• People are easily distracted by other work
• Difficult to hear clearly
• Actions are far less likely to be done after virtual meetings
• Start of the meeting is often delayed
• No level playing field
• Not knowing who else is in the meeting, let alone speaking
• Lack of preparation
• Not being able to get a word in
• When you ask a question, nobody answers
• Can last far too long and concentration levels tend to drop
16. Leading Effective Virtual Meetings
Presentation Topics
• What is a Virtual Meeting?
• Benefits of Virtual Meetings
• Inherent Problems with Virtual Meetings
• Best Practices for Virtual Meetings
17. Best Practices for Virtual Meetings
Plan and Prepare for Meeting
• Do we really need to meet?
– What are we trying to achieve (outcome)
– Are we ready?
• Do we need synchronicity?
– Back and forth interaction
– Real-time information sharing
• Publish timed agenda
• Assign prework
18. Best Practices for Virtual Meetings
Use Technology Effectively
• Research Available Tools
• Match Technology to Objectives
• Practice
• Have a Backup Plan
19. Best Practices for Virtual Meetings
Use Technology Effectively
SOURCE: Young, J. ( 2009) “Six Critical Success Factors for Running a Successful Virtual Meeting.”
Retrieved from facilitate.com
20. Best Practices for Virtual Meetings
Use Technology Effectively
SOURCE: Young, J. ( 2009) “Six Critical Success Factors for Running a Successful Virtual Meeting.”
Retrieved from facilitate.com
21. Best Practices for Virtual Meetings
Use Technology Effectively
SOURCE: Young, J. ( 2009) “Six Critical Success Factors for Running a Successful Virtual Meeting.”
Retrieved from facilitate.com
22. Best Practices for Virtual Meetings
Use Technology Effectively
SOURCE: Young, J. ( 2009) “Six Critical Success Factors for Running a Successful Virtual Meeting.”
Retrieved from facilitate.com
23. Best Practices for Virtual Meetings
Use Technology Effectively
SOURCE: Young, J. ( 2009) “Six Critical Success Factors for Running a Successful Virtual Meeting.”
Retrieved from facilitate.com
24. Best Practices for Virtual Meetings
Use Technology Effectively
SOURCE: Young, J. ( 2009) “Six Critical Success Factors for Running a Successful Virtual Meeting.”
Retrieved from facilitate.com
25. Best Practices for Virtual Meetings
Use Technology Effectively
SOURCE: Young, J. ( 2009) “Six Critical Success Factors for Running a Successful Virtual Meeting.”
Retrieved from facilitate.com
26. Best Practices for Virtual Meetings
Engage and Focus Participants
• Start the meeting by asking people to remove a
distraction, ask about these
• No more than three slides or 10 minutes before a
truly interactive activity
• Vary ways in which people participate
• Keep track of who is talking or participating
• Everyone off mute – set the expectation for
interaction
• Keep an on-screen, that is, visible “parking lot” for
off-agenda topics
27. Best Practices for Virtual Meetings
Wrap Up and Follow Up
• Check for “Five Elements of Closure” (Axtell, 2015):
– Completion
– Alignment
– Next Steps
– Value
– Acknowledgment
• Follow up with minutes/action items
• Solicit feedback from participants
– Did the meeting stick to the agenda?
– What would improve the next meeting?
28. Leading Effective Virtual Meetings
Presentation Topics
• What is a Virtual Meeting?
• Benefits of Virtual Meetings
• Inherent Problems with Virtual Meetings
• Best Practices for Virtual Meetings
• Tips and Tricks for Virtual Meetings
29. Tips and Tricks for Virtual Meetings
• Use participants’ names frequently
• Set expectations at outset (agenda, ground rules)
• Assign roles to participants (timekeeper, scribe, etc.)
• Go slowly to make sure speakers are heard
• Leave participants unmuted to encourage
participation
30. Tips and Tricks for Virtual Meetings
Some Unique Suggestions To Try:
• “Formalize the Water Cooler” by asking for feedback
at end of the call (Ferrazzi, 2015)
• Encourage “Meet and Greet” prior to meeting by
opening phones lines for sharing (Axtell, 2016)
• “Turn the Video On” – video of presenter’s location
can help participants stay focused (Ferrazzi, 2015)
• Display participants’ pictures/map to help visualize
people and places (Pullan, 2011)
32. Resources
“Running Virtual Meetings”, HBR 20-Minute Manager Series,
Harvard Business Review Press, 2016.
Axtell, P. (2016) What Everyone Should Know About
Running Virtual Meetings.” Harvard Business
Review, April 14, 2016.
Ferrazzi, K. (2015) “How to Run a Great Virtual Meeting.”
Harvard Business Review. March 27,2015.
Hall, K. (2007) Speed Lead: Faster, Simpler Ways to
Manage People, Projects and Teams in Complex
Companies London/Boston:Nicholas Brealey
Pullan, P. Mindmap of Conference Call Frustrations from
2008 Survey available from
http://www.conferencecallsmadeeasy.com
33. Resources (continued)
Pullan, P. (2011) “The Seven Secrets of Successful Virtual
Meetings.” Presented at the 2011 PMI Global
Congress, Dublin, Ireland.
Pullan, P and Prokopu, E. (2016) “Leading Virtual Project
Teams.” Presented at the 2016 PMI Global
Congress, Barcelona, Spain.
Young, J. ( 2009) “Six Critical Success Factors for Running
a Successful Virtual Meeting.” Retrieved from
facilitate.com