The same planning is required for successful remote meetings just as it is for in-person meetings. You must be clear on the agenda and make sure that everyone has read the pre-readings and that the sharing process goes seamlessly during the meeting, and that all the important issues are discussed. You’ll be able to tell if your remote team meetings were successful if you leave the meeting feeling that these things happened.
If your meetings don’t yield results it’s a waste of time and money for the whole organization. Remote teams should invest in tools and strategies to ensure that meetings are successful. Meetings are an integral element of the process however, if they are not properly managed, they can be distracting and even counterproductive for employees who are distributed. Meetings are often the largest productivity drain on globally dispersed teams.
Fortunately, facilitating an engaging and productive remote meeting isn’t as challenging as it might seem. By following a few best practices to help your team get on the same page, stay focused and be more productive during virtual meetings. Here are eight techniques for conducting successful remote meetings: