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Top 5 Tips for Sticking to an Online Meeting Agenda

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Photo by Mikael Blomkvist on Pexels.com

It is challenging enough to stick to an agenda at in-person meetings. When the venue transfers to online with a Zoom virtual office background, many people find focusing more challenging.

Many of the problems with focus and online meetings are because of at-home distractions, which can include work. Preparing and communicating is the key to improving focus and sticking to an agenda. Discover five tips for improving your online meetings.

1. Communicating Before the Meeting

Communication is paramount to virtual meeting success. Before the meeting, at least one week out, talk to each team member who will attend the meeting. Ask them about problems or items that need review. Also, specify how important participation is and that the meeting will stick to a set timeframe — aim for under an hour to avoid complications.

Early communication gives everyone involved time to provide input for the agenda. Also, it allows the host to state clear and direct expectations.

2. Paying Attention to the Time Allotted

When the meeting occurs, do not go over the allotted time. If you plan for an hour, stick to the hour. It is usually best to organize the meeting topics by their level of importance. That way, if you run out of time before covering some of the lower-level items, it is less of a problem to push the items to the next meeting.

Depending on the complexity of lower-level items, you can always send a brief email following the meeting that covers the topics. Be sure to request feedback so you can clarify any information, if necessary.

3. Plan an Agenda

You can add to the comradery of a meeting with a unique office background free, but most of your focus should go into planning the agenda. An agenda should include all the topics you will cover in the meeting, additional speakers, and questions or breaks. Also, each issue should have an allotted amount of time for discussion, ensuring you can get through every item on the agenda.

If your meetings tend to go off track, consider putting aside 10 to 15 minutes at the end. With the additional time, you can allow for some commentary between topics without sacrificing an entire portion of your agenda.

4. Consider Time Zones

A remote workforce likely doesn’t all operate within the same timezone, making it difficult, if not impossible, for everyone to meet for a live virtual meeting. If live interactions are essential, consider the time zones of team members and try to find an agreeable time for the meeting.

If team members live on opposite sides of the globe and a single meeting time is not feasible, consider having two meetings to be more inclusive. Finally, if you cannot hold two sessions, consider recording one meeting so team members unable to join can still watch and take part.

5. Choose a Tool

To follow an agenda, team members must be able to follow the meeting. The most significant consideration for meetings is tool selection. What platform are you going to use? Will you use a Zoom background with company logo or focus on Microsoft Teams? Choose a tool everyone understands and has access to.

Virtual meetings are challenging. Team members combat distractions. Use the above tips to improve meetings and contact a local management consultant to learn more techniques.

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