Are your online meetings boring?

I don’t know about you, but I spend a LOT of time in online meetings.   Zoom, WebEx, Teams, GoToMeeting.  It doesn’t matter the format, meeting online is a challenge.   Engaging online can seem almost impossible.   I want you to know it doesn’t have to be boring, uninteresting talking heads, endless PowerPoint slides and black, faceless boxes on a screen.  I’ve learned a few things over the years teaching online, and most recently, working 100% online.

Be open to learn and try new things:   It’s hard to learn something new.  When hosting a meeting online it can be overwhelming and a bit scary if I’m totally honest.   However, since I have shifted my mindset to “what can I learn today using this online tool”, my horizons have exploded, and others are telling me my meetings are interesting, online training sessions are engaging and “gasp” even a bit fun!

Give yourself GRACE:   Fear is a monster we can all face when trying to use something new.   We don’t want to “mess up”, trip up, or look stupid in front of our team, our colleagues or even our friends.  This fear can keep us from trying those new things we learned yesterday.   The secret?  Give yourself grace!   What will it matter if you don’t do something right the first time?   I choose to say “Oops, let me try that again”,   or “Well that didn’t work as planned”, laugh and move on.   I’ve learned people don’t hang up on me.   They actually give me confidence, because they give me grace.  

Go for it!  You’ve learned or experienced something new and now you want to try it.   My advice?  Go for it!  You’re going to practice a few times (make your friend, spouse or kid log in and practice with you).  Remember to give yourself grace, and recognize the goal.  Psst:  Perfection is not the goal but trying something new in order to be more engaging in the work you do is the goal.

Want to experience an interactive, engaging online meeting?   Want to learn a few tips and tricks on how to better work in this online world we find ourselves in?   I don’t see it changing much in the future, so we need to embrace it. 

Join me as I try to change online meetings and training for the better.  Let’s put an end to boring, sometimes even tortuous online meetings.     Click here to learn more.