It’s been a year, people. A full year of remote meetings.
And honestly, it’s as if you have learned nothing in that time.
Remote meetings have a different dynamic that in-person meetings. I was hopeful the past year you would all come to understand this and adjust your habits accordingly.
Well, I’m not afraid to admit I was wrong. None of you have learned a damn thing.
You treat remote meetings as if they are in person. You jump at the chance to speak, just as a half dozen other people are speaking.
I am here today to make some suggestions.
First, a meeting should have an agenda. Just a couple of bullet points at the very least so everyone has an opportunity to prepare for the discussion. The agenda also allows for the meeting organizer to keep everyone on topic.
Second, the organizer should use the mute button with extreme prejudice. With a dozen or more people in a meeting there is zero reason to allow everyone to be unmuted by default.
Lastly, and most important, when you want to say something, raise your damn hand.
Here is the most important feature in Microsoft Teams you aren’t using:
It’s not that hard to do, folks. It is a courtesy to everyone else, kinda like wearing a mask. When you have something to say, show respect for everyone on the call and raise your hand. Allow the organizer to call upon you to speak.
This isn’t rocket surgery folks. It’s basic manners.
And if you think this post is probably about you, you’re right.
Yes, that raise your hand feature should be used, too bad there are meeting organizers who else to not use it and allow an online meeting to devolve into something akin to a commodity trading pit from forty years ago.
I submit that “basic manners” might be akin to “common sense”. We take for granted that to which we and many with whom we associate to be accepted practice, the norm but I as more time passes I find those “basic” and “common” things aren’t so basic or common.
90% of the meeting facilitators I work with ignore the raised hand, so there’s that. 😉