In a recent meeting, a colleague shared that in the virtual events she has hosted, it takes twice as long for participants to be ready to participate verbally. “If we were in person, they’d be fully engaged by the coffee break. Now, sometimes it takes until the end of the first day for them to talk.”
I’ve see this, too. Our workshops are very interactive, but in the virtual realm, it’s harder to get people to speak up. What can we do to boost engagement?
First, remember that everyone on your call has had some kind of day before they logged on, and they are surrounded by other things that need their attention. We simply don’t have the same circumstances in our favor as we do when we all travel to the same place to join a meeting or event.
We have to create circumstances that invite everyone to be here, now. You can initiate a brief check-in, maybe a round robin that allows people to state what they need to be present, or a reminder to declutter their space and close down extra tabs. Be sure that this is an invitation, not an instruction.
Second, be intentional about creating space for interaction. For example, instead of asking, “Any questions?,” say, “I’d like to hear from three people about the idea we’ve just discussed. Raise your hand and I’ll ask you to come off mute.” Use the chat function as well, and be sure to monitor it.
And finally, remind yourself that it’s not about you. When we’re not sure how something is going, our brains cough up explanations like, “They’re miserable” and “You’re a terrible speaker.” This is your brain getting irrational—ask it to settle down, and stick to your game plan.
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