Your team is spread out across the country. How can you bring everyone together for a productive meeting?

In a global team, having a platform that supports real time translation has been a huge win this year. It’s been revolutionary for allowing those whose first language isn’t English to take the pen and let those of us used to being the main voices listen more.

I agree with this. In an archipelago like the Philippines is, however, apart from the software platform itself, infrastructure challenges need to be taken into consideration. What we sometimes do at #CCBPI is bring associates from outlying regions to main site “hubs” and convene our virtual conferences from geographic locations where the telco infrastructure stability is assured . Specifically, as the Philippines is separated into three main islands (Luzon, the Visayas & Mindanao), we sometimes opt to host associates in Manila, Cebu and Davao respectively. It makes for more assured variables (sorry oxymoron 😅) and is also a little bit cheaper than gathering everyone in one place. Ultimately though, the latter still remains preferred.

1. set meeting agenda 2. whenever possible have pre reads shared 24 hours prior to meeting and encourage people to add comments async 3. chose the right platform 4. have an AI tool to translate / take notes 5. within 24 hours of closing the meeting share time bound action items

In a geographically remote team, I would advise learning what are the differences in the region: Humour, Cooking, Sport and asking people what do they enjoy doing at weekends. Identify common ground on shared interests and then, build upon this by learning about interests of your team that may be specific to their geographic location. Are they on the coast, near mountains, near hills. Lots of ways to work well together and I wanted to add another option to consider that may help.

Sometimes choosing a platform is not an option as your organization might already have one. If this is the case learning how to use the tool correctly to get the most out of it is essential. How do you integrate all the features the tool has into your meeting will make it more engaging and keep the attention of your team throughout the call. Specially in digital meetings where the attention span is limited it’s key. Some features might be adding polls, using a whiteboard, taking a group picture, using emojis to react to what’s being shared or sharing notes in real time.

An agenda is a great way to allow everyone to mentally prepare for the meeting and know what thoughts or materials they should be bringing to the table. Nothing is worse than showing up to a meeting and feeling ill prepared for the conversation that takes place due to being blindsided with topics that you didn’t know were going to be discussed.

Copilot summaries are a game-changer, but one thing I appreciate is that someone is also on point to add content to the side-chat. Things like polls for decision -making, or file/link sharing are hugely valuable in maintaining meeting momentum or decision-making. We have also recently begun using Microsoft Loop to also provide a running list of actions or observations. The beauty of this is that the loop component can be added-to by anyone in the meeting and can be shared or embedded anywhere else (ex. email) for tracking or future referral.

I feel like agendas are becoming a thing of the past, but an agenda helps to keep everyone organized and on task. I also agree to send agendas in advance so people can be prepared. As for working as a virtual team, just like in person, make sure everyone is heard and if someone isn't participating, encourage them to share their thoughts and ideas.

💯 this is true at all levels and if the leader can’t find the time, they can always delegate to a high performer on their team who can gather topics etc

Share the meeting agenda well in advance. Communicate clearly on expectations like who is presenting what parts, who is taking notes, meeting recording, and any research that should be done beforehand.

Most of our team is fully remote and dispersed across countries and time zones. We're cognizant of meeting start/end times across time zones, start meetings at :05 or :10 past the hour to build in needed breaks between calls, and respect meeting end times. We use Microsoft Teams, so we rely on the Raise Hand feature to give everyone an opportunity to share their perspectives or ask questions. At the start of our team meetings, we also assign an "Inclusion Captain" -- this person monitors the chat for salient points, flags Raised Hands, and generally ensures all attendees are able to participate in the meeting. This is especially helpful when we have a presenter using a slide deck or otherwise can't actively monitor the screen.

Para mí esta es la regla básica. Que todo el mundo conozca cuáles son estas normas, especialmente inicio y final de la reunión, así como los objetivos de lo que se persigue. En una empresa en la que estuve hace años, había una especie de "juez de penas" que avisaba a los miembros de la reunión si se salían del tema o entorpecían. Era algo muy drástico, pero gracias a esa figura las reuniones eran ágiles.

Virtual meetings should be treated as physical meetings where participants need to ensure open communication, respect for each other and value diverse perspectives. In order to facilitate a healthy interaction, it is important to communicate ground rules before the beginning of the meeting. For example, listing the information while sending the meeting link would be helpful as it consists of vital details. Preparing participants beforehand can provide profitable outcomes from the meetings.

Creo que resulta imprescindible mantener reglas claras basadas en el respeto mutuo y la empatía, debiéndose mantener las cámaras prendidas, los micrófonos silenciados y respetarse los turnos para hablar sin interrumpirse.

Uma reunião bem sucedida é mais do que um encontro de profissionais talentosos especialistas nas suas funções. Uma reunião é um congraçamento de ideias e opiniões sobre um tema ou assunto. Dela dependem os destinos da empresa muitas vezes. E essas ideias também podem ser divergentes. Do conflito nasce a síntese, que será o rumo a tomar no meio das incertezas. Todo o respeito e acolhimento são bem vindos em reuniões produtivas.

One thing I have found useful is to create an initial icebreaker activity, especially if it is an activity related to personal (not business) things. Here you can create connection with your team, and they with each other, the atmosphere of the meeting will feel safe. In this sense, you need to maintain the level of engagement with dynamic presentations, role-playing, trivia, etc.

Three of the most engaging tactics we used in meetings for our fully remote team were: - Icebreakers (they help warm us up & force us to share something) - Breakout rooms (to collaborate, participate and work closer together) - Whiteboards (with a timer on it helps us work on focused tasks) These are some great ways to also spice up otherwise “boring” meetings.

Icebreakers can be a useful way to make the online meetings engaging and lively. Use of online tools to create polls or surveys related to the meeting topic is another creative way to get the discussion going in an interactive manner and the results can be discussed during the meeting. One more way, which I found quite effective is, breaking up presentations with questions, discussions, or short activities to keep the participants involved.

Making the meeting interactive keeps everyone engaged. I hold weekly meetings with my remote Team and always like to hear from each Team member, they know this and they come prepared to engage. We have some fun conversations too after all the business/agenda for the day has been concluded.

We once hid “Easter eggs” throughout a virtual meeting that required attendees to pay close attention. After the meeting, we sent out a questionnaire asking things such as “which speaker had a Star Wars poster in her office,” or “who was using a Mickey Mouse coffee mug?” The employees who had the most correct answers won gift cards.

While the meeting is ongoing, you can use Microsoft Word or Google Docs for collaborative note-taking and tag team members in real-time, so they get notified (saves you the hassle of sending a separate email summary post meeting). Platforms like Microsoft Teams also have a meeting note feature to summarize discussions and jot down action items. It also sends email notifications and follow-up reminders to persons concerned. Asana is also great for noting tasks, deadlines and reminders. These can help ensure deadlines aren’t missed and team members complete tasks in time.

Apesar de uma gestão por confiança e autonomia, é fundamental que o líder faça o acompanhamento permanente das tarefas, modulando o desempenho sempre que possível e propondo correções de rota, quando necessário. As reuniões individuais são adequadas para o feedback individual e as reuniões coletivas para o feedback em equipe. O líder, não nos esqueçamos, deve fazer parte de cada uma das etapas, por meio de uma participação direta.

It is important to select a suitable start time that is accommodating to team members’ local time. Apart from this, the team should be advised of the expected duration of the meeting, with clear objectives and goals of said engagement. It is also key to prepare a concise agenda along with points for discussion and supporting documents, where applicable, and that all are circulated well ahead of the meeting to allow all participants to be informed and prepared. The latter will ensure that the meeting is kept within the desired timeframe and any unnecessary delays are avoided.

Summarize key takeaways and action items at the end of the meeting. Share detailed meeting notes and distribute responsibilities promptly. Establish a system for accountability and set deadlines for follow-up tasks. Regularly check progress and provide support where needed.

Challenge with having teams spread across the country is the lack of connection. It’s important to build not only with the leader but with the entire team as well. While I believe that weekly team engagements are a great tool, however having a personal connect with each and every member is truly important. And that can be done on a monthly basis and the calls should documented and followed through. This will give a confidence to the entire team that they can speak up and their voices matter.

Build creativity into your meeting. By that I mean, make it memorable by blending elements of surprise with the key points you want people to remember. So your team will want to talk about the gathering and what it meant long after the session is done.

Pre-read material always helps in having informed and constructive discussions. Regular check-ins help to maintain connection and address individual concerns as sometimes people are not vocal in group meetings. Also, if team is in different time zones, it'll be good to consider rotating meeting times to accommodate everyone.

Consider adding some kind of element that adds an interesting angle to the meeting. Perhaps it’s an interactive trivia that shares part of the topic that is being discussed. Maybe it’s a quick learning topic from one of your stakeholder groups. Just something to break up the normal meeting cycle and keep everyone engaged.

Funny insight. Does it have to be a meeting? Could it be efficiently communicated on an email? Are all the attendees necessary for the meeting?

Also important is to encourage active participation by creating an inclusive and respectful environment where all ideas are valued.