The world has begun moving forward past the pandemic. We’ve settled into the routine, figured out the various meeting apps, and watched as the world moved to virtual business models. Some people are back working from the company offices while others continue to work remotely. But, virtual meetings are here to stay and an integral part of most businesses.
There are probably more in-person meetings as you collaborate with coworkers to create your online store or e-commerce site, streamline your processes, and advance your online business presence. So, let’s take a break and have a laugh or a cringe about some past virtual meeting moments. Years ago, well before the pandemic, I worked for a company with weekly virtual meetings. The entire company worked remotely, so it was a good way to connect, share tips and techniques, and get questions answered. Unfortunately, it was also a big lesson on how not to conduct a virtual meeting. I learned a lot; unfortunately, I learned more about the negative aspects of virtual meetings than anything else. Ultimately, the negative aspects of these meetings cemented my decision to move on.
Check out our previous post for great tips and best practices on virtual meetings. Then, keep reading below for cringe-worthy virtual meeting moments and things you definitely do not want to do.
Hosting disorganized and lengthy meetings
We have all been in longer than necessary meetings. Imagine a weekly virtual meeting that regularly lasts 2 hours or more. This is mind-numbingly long for most meetings, especially unorganized meetings.
Some meeting hosts are never organized. I have personally attended a meeting where the host would often go off on a tangent to research or calculate something, and the rest of us would be sitting there, just waiting for him to figure out whatever it was that grabbed his attention. It was often something pertinent to only one or two of the attendees. It would have been better to table those questions to handle one-on-one or for a later group meeting where the research and steps were sorted out before the meeting started.
Using the webcam as a mirror
Webcams are not mirrors, and they are not one-way windows. Unless you turn that camera off, we see you. I’ve witnessed a virtual meeting attendee who would regularly use the webcam to check her face. To this day, I cannot remember her name or her position in the company; I still think of her as Eyebrows due to her habit of getting too close to the camera and checking her eyebrows, makeup, and hair. Amusing but highly distracting! I’ve been to plenty of meetings where I saw eating, TV watching, phone scrolling, conversations with others in the home, playtime with the dog, cleaning, and even sleeping with full-on snoring. If you are in a meeting, be 100% present. If that isn’t possible, mute yourself and turn off your camera.
Turning the virtual meeting into the Colosseum
Group meetings are for business, not harshly criticizing and dressing down your colleague. My tactic for handling aggressive arguments was to do one of two things: redirect them or excuse everyone else from the meeting.
Learning to redirect is an essential skill for navigating any workplace, especially in unprofessional or inappropriate situations. It can be as simple as saying, ‘Let’s have that discussion one-on-one’ or ‘Let’s leave that discussion for the next meeting.’ I would find myself saying, ‘I am not interested in listening to this argument. Please take it offline’ or more directly when needed, ‘You are wasting my and everyone else’s time; if we can’t get back on topic, we will have to end the meeting.’
What are some of your stories?
We all have our fair share of awkward virtual meeting moments, so comment and share some of your best and worst stories below.
