Holding happier virtual meetings: the 50 minute hour
People are getting tired of so many virtual meetings
A set of ‘mindful meeting tips’ dropped into my inbox on Friday from Zoom. It seems this is the zeitgeist. We need to hold better meetings!
Did we ever though?
Coincidentally, in a webinar of my peers the day before, a number were remarking on how vritual presence, constant meetings are a real headache.
Imagine holding a meeting, then another, then another, without a break because everyone is there and accessible from my screen. At least before lockdown and Teams/Zoom/whatever, we had to walk between meetings to another venue or room; or perhaps had to get in the car or on our bike and travel to the next one. Yes, a lot of dead time in the car is not productive and eats carbon. But the point is we at least had breaks in between. These were physical and psychological.
And then there is the point that I have met very few people who say they enjoy the meetings they go to.
So what has happened?
We have the sizeable opportunity to reconfigure communication, meetings and how we spend our time most productively by adopting virtual working and meeting. But perhaps we have failed to adopt new habits to go with them.
Is the answer a better platform?
I have MS Teams, Zoom, Skype and Webex on my laptop screen as different clients use different platforms. They all do a swathe of mainly the same things, and some are better for training than others, just as some are better for meetings. In the conversation last week our discussion suggested:
Having the app on 24/7 is directing us to be available and virtually connecting, speaking and chatting, constantly. Where is the regulating switch? Has it created an expectation of constant availability?
Email volume has gone down somewhat but it has been replaced by virtual discussion threads. Has the habit of too many emails been transferred to too many virtual meetings and chats?
Seeing people and talking is better that just a written email, so the channels of communication are wider in virtual meetings. However, the discussion also alluded to experiences of people not wishing to be seen (e.g. in their home/sititng room/kitchen), saying ‘no’ to recordings.
So to answer the question - no, not really.
How to hold happier (virtual) meetings
Top tip: the 50 minute hour, and five more handy hints
Adopt the 50 minute hour
This is genius and one of my favourite tips. A meeting should last 50 minutes maximum. Book in an hour of time, but never go over 50 minutes, That leaves 10 minutes otbreathe, have a break.
Five handy extras
Is the meeting really necessary?
Ask this every time you are invited. If you run meetings, is this meeting really necessary? If the meeting does not have a clear purpose or goal, or there is a more appropriate or smarter way to share or discuss the topic, why call it?
Do you really need to attend?
Ask yourself and the person calling this every time. Push back a little. Is there another way? Could you go just for the relevant bit? Could it be combined with something else?
What is the purpose of the meeting?
Is the purpose clear? Does attending this meeting further your priorities, goals and actions you need to achieve? Why attend a meeting with no purpose?
If you decide to attend
Prepare, get in the right mindset, leave a gap between virtual sessions (i.e. manage your time and diary, don’t let calls to meeting dictate it), be present and stay relevant, join in.
If you call a meeting
Set the tone first, facilitate participation, be inclusive, stick to time (don’t go up to the wire, stick to 50 minutes max), ask for feedback. Have ground rules everyone contributes to.
Start new habits, don’t transfer what you had
Virtual meetings arguably, when run well, save time and resources. I’ve heard people say that despite this, old habits are transferred.
Virtual meetings need to be mindful and smart.
If you call meetings, put old habits aside.
Or don’t call one.
I provide 45 minute webinars on making the best use of your time, including when working remotely and when using virtual, visual platforms. Get in touch for more details on how I can tailor one for you or your team.
Adopt the 50 minute hour
Be smart and mindful about productive virtual meetings