In business, people get busy. As such, it is imperative to always make the most out of someone's time when you have a piece of it – especially when it comes to video call meetings.
According to Attentiv, the average meeting time is 31 to 60 minutes. That may seem like a lot, but it really isn't, especially when conversations begin to flow. Even if your meetings are longer or shorter than that average, always consider how to best use that time.
Scott Wilson, Co-Founder and CEO of video conferencing service Banty Inc., participates in several video calls each day. Over the years, he has learned that in order to optimize the time you spend on video calls, you have to do the following:
Confirm everyone's attendance – twice: Yes, most people asked to join a video conference will confirm their attendance once an email invite has been received. However, that doesn't mean they'll necessarily remember committing. To avoid a meeting running long due to an attendee being forgetful, always drop a friendly reminder the day before a call
Keep a rigid agenda: The best way to respect the time of everyone attending a virtual meeting is to schedule it for a block of time, and not go beyond that. The perfect way to do this is to create a meeting agenda and forward it to all invitees well in advance of the call. This will encourage all participants to be as organized, and appreciative of everyone's time, as you are
Stay on-topic: If your agenda is rock-solid, participants will deliver what's been asked of them. However, there is still a chance for individuals to get off-topic. These conversations have the ability to throw off the flow and timing of a meeting. Do your best to keep attendees focused on the meeting's primary pressure points
Encourage side meetings: When halting an aforementioned off-topic conversation, suggest that those involved in it book a side meeting later on. This way, your meeting structure will not be hindered any longer, and these attendees can further flesh out their ideas in a separate, more appropriate venue
Promote strong Internet connectivity: So many video meeting schedules go sideways when one – or multiple – participants experience a weak Internet connection. Here, video and audio gets choppy, or a person just drops off a call. Politely remind all invitees in advance to call from a space in which quality Internet connectivity is expected
"Virtual meetings are an amazing way to communicate with others, so much so, that they can easily run long and disrupt a person's schedule," adds Scott. "If you are hosting, drive strong, meaningful conversation, but also keep an eye on the clock. You want people coming away from the meeting feeling positive about what was discussed – not upset about how it screwed up their day."
Thanks to Business Chief for this coverage of Banty!
