Remote meetings are one of the challenges with working remotely or from home. Generally many would prefer to have face-to-face meetings as it is perceived to be more productive. As a design and branding agency we are used to working with clients from countries all over the world. Over the past decade we have learnt a couple of things on how to best conduct remote meetings and would like to share our insights with you, to help you be more effective and productive. Here’s some of our advice:
Plan an agenda and share it in advance
This is important, so everyone can prepare beforehand and you don’t end up wasting time during the meeting. It is also important to remind everyone of the meeting goal before you start.
Introduce everyone
Might sound obvious but sometimes the obvious needs to be mentioned. It’s great to go around the ‘table’ and let everyone introduce him or herself, so everyone’s faces are seen and/or voices are heard. If everyone already knows each other, it’s always good to start with some small talk to get the conversation started.
Take collaborative notes
Using something like Google Docs or Dropbox Papers works well in taking collaborative notes of a meeting, it helps everyone to get involved, discuss the topics and action items.
Ask for input
By asking the team for input it makes team members feel engaged and get’s everyone involved.
Rounding things off
Remember to recap at the end of the meeting, check key points that were mentioned, items that were actioned and to whom they were delegated.
Read more about our tips on working remotely.