5 Tips for Virtual Meeting Engagement
Cathie Leimbach • January 8, 2024
Virtual meetings have their pros and cons. We can meet without travel time and expenses, so we can connect with people far and wide with shorter notice. However, screen fatigue and double tasking can result in them being less effective. Here are a few tips that help overcome the downside of virtual meetings.
- Ensure that everyone in the meeting is familiar with the technology you will be using. Before you call the meeting to order or in the first minutes of the meeting, take time to show participants how to use the software. A helpful approach is to show your screen as you demonstrate various features.
- When two-way communication is expected during the meeting, ask or require everyone to have their camera on. This reduces double tasking and allows participants to get a better feel for each other’s buy-in or concerns with the matters being discussed. In some companies anyone who does not have their camera on during a team meeting is noted as being absent.
- If the meeting will last more than 90 minutes, schedule a break every 90 minutes. This prevents or greatly reduces random absences as attendees get drinks or use the restroom. Getting up and moving also re-energizes the participants’ brains so they can continue paying attention, engaging, and retaining important information.
- Use breakout groups, allowing pairs, trios, or groups of up to 5 people to share their thoughts. In larger groups many don’t feel they have enough to add to speak up. These small groups allow everyone to learn other people’s perspectives and to feel heard. Having a group spokesperson share the highlights of their breakout group’s conversation, makes the large group aware of the range of perspectives in their midst faster than having every individual talk in the large group.
- Periodically instruct everyone to stand up for a short activity. You might just be asking them which project team they wish to join or to read the 5 possible next steps on the screen and share which they think should be tackled next. Standing up for 3 minutes is enough for blood flow to the brain to increase, enhancing the value we will add to and take away from the meeting.
Which tip could increase the effectiveness of your virtual meetings? What is the date of your next meeting and how will you incorporate this idea?
I would love to hear other ways of engaging people in virtual meetings. What else have you experienced?
Artificial Intelligence is becoming a powerful workplace tool. It can summarize information, analyze data, draft content, and generate ideas in seconds. But there is a growing risk leaders need to recognize: AI can sound convincing even when it is wrong. In an article by Erica Dhawan, she describes a legal case where attorneys used ChatGPT to help prepare a court filing. The brief looked professional, the reasoning seemed logical, and the citations appeared legitimate. There was only one problem: several of the cited cases did not exist. The AI had fabricated them. The danger wasn't carelessness. It was trust. Because the information was presented clearly, confidently, and professionally, nobody stopped to question it. Psychologists call this the "fluency heuristic"—our tendency to assume information is accurate when it is easy to process and sounds credible. As leaders, we cannot allow polished answers to replace critical thinking. When you find yourself thinking, "This is too good to be true," put your brain in gear. Dig deeper. Investigate. Verify the facts. Ask what assumptions were made, what information might be missing, and what evidence supports the conclusion. AI can be an incredible assistant. It should never become a substitute for judgment. The smooth answer is not always the wrong one—but it is often the one that deserves the most scrutiny. Before You Act, Verify. The biggest risk with AI isn't bad information. It's believable information that's wrong. That's why we created the AI Verification Checklist for Leaders —a simple 5-minute tool designed to help leaders challenge assumptions, identify missing information, verify conclusions, and make better decisions before acting on AI-generated recommendations. Download the free AI Verification Checklist for Leaders and start asking better questions before making important decisions.
Most leaders want better performance. They want employees who take ownership, solve problems, adapt to change, and consistently deliver results. Yet Gallup reports that only 31% of employees are engaged at work. That means nearly 7 out of 10 employees are not fully applying their talents, effort, and initiative to their roles. The question leaders should be asking isn't simply: "Why aren't employees performing?" It's: "Are we developing people to perform at their best?" Gallup's latest research suggests many organizations may be falling behind. Nearly 6 in 10 CHROs say employee development is one of the areas where their organization struggles most. At the same time, fewer than half of U.S. employees have participated in training or education to build new skills for their current job. That gap creates risk. As AI, technology, customer expectations, and job responsibilities continue to evolve, employees cannot meet changing expectations with outdated skills. The impact is especially significant among high performers. Gallup found that organizations providing fewer development opportunities are more likely to lose their best people. The good news is that development doesn't require expensive programs or lengthy workshops. It starts with leaders who consistently: • Connect strengths to daily work • Clarify expectations • Provide meaningful feedback • Coach performance • Hold growth-focused conversations One of the most effective ways leaders can support employee development is through regular 1-on-1 meetings with each direct report. These conversations create opportunities to coach, remove obstacles, align priorities, and discuss growth before problems become bigger issues. For practical ideas, read our resource: 5 Factors in Successful 1-on-1s . Organizations that thrive won't simply expect more from employees. They'll develop people so they can contribute more. Because when employees grow, performance grows with them.