Web Conferencing versus Boardroom: Don't Let Meetings Sap Productivity

  

  

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Even if you frankly ask your workers what the most boring parts of their jobs are, would you get an honest answer? Probably not. The truth is, most workers abhor boardroom meetings. A presenter stands at the head of the room with a prepared speech and all eyes do their best to stay open as participants do their best to stay engaged in the speech. Even the best speakers can have difficulty maintaining an engaged audience.

Fear not, there is a way to keep your audience’s attention without hiring creative talent to write a screenplay. By using the interactive features in a web conference, you allow your audience to participate in the meeting on a deeper level. With desktop sharing, whiteboards and instant messaging, you can offer the audience chances to participate in the meeting. Not only will this ease boredom, but your employees will walk away with a deeper understanding of the subject matter and a more focused approach to their jobs.

Because you can share your desktop, it is a good idea to break the ice with some humor. This may mean showing a comedy clip, or playing a quick game of hangman online. Use the shared desktop feature to warm up your audience and make them feel engaged. It will go a long way towards creating a more entertaining and useful conference.

You can also use the whiteboard to help employees focus their attention on the subject matter. Write down a question or idea related to the discussion topic and then ask each participant to write down his or her answers or ideas. This warm up gets participants thinking about the problem or topic and focused on learning more.
Instant messaging is useful for encouraging employees to share ideas while avoiding disruptions to the meeting. Ask attendees to use this feature when an idea comes up.

If they believe you will actually read their messages, they are much more likely to listen to what you have to say and respond with their points of view. Be sure to follow up on instant messages by email after the meeting. This type of encouragement will ensure continued active participation from your employees who will be glad your meetings are no longer so boring!