Virtual Meeting Facilitation

Ever notice how some leaders seem to have a sixth sense for meeting dynamics while others plow through their agenda oblivious to glazed eyes, side conversations, or everyone needing several "bio breaks" over the course of an hour? Research tells us executives consider 67% of virtual meetings failures, and a staggering 92% of employees admit to multitasking during meetings. After facilitating hundreds of in-person, virtual, and hybrid sessions, I've developed my "6 E's Framework" to transform the abstract concept of "reading the room" into concrete skills anyone can master. (This is exactly what I teach leaders and teams who want to dramatically improve their meeting and presentation effectiveness.) Here's what to look for and what to do: 1. Eye Contact: Notice where people are looking (or not looking). Are they making eye contact with you or staring at their devices? Position yourself strategically, be inclusive with your gaze, and respectfully acknowledge what you observe: "I notice several people checking watches, so I'll pick up the pace." 2. Energy: Feel the vibe - is it friendly, tense, distracted? Conduct quick energy check-ins ("On a scale of 1-10, what's your energy right now?"), pivot to more engaging topics when needed, and don't hesitate to amplify your own energy through voice modulation and expressive gestures. 3. Expectations: Regularly check if you're delivering what people expected. Start with clear objectives, check in throughout ("Am I addressing what you hoped we'd cover?"), and make progress visible by acknowledging completed agenda items. 4. Extraneous Activities: What are people doing besides paying attention? Get curious about side conversations without defensiveness: "I see some of you discussing something - I'd love to address those thoughts." Break up presentations with interactive elements like polls or small group discussions. 5. Explicit Feedback: Listen when someone directly tells you "we're confused" or "this is exactly what we needed." Remember, one vocal participant often represents others' unspoken feelings. Thank people for honest feedback and actively solicit input from quieter participants. 6. Engagement: Monitor who's participating and how. Create varied opportunities for people to engage with you, the content, and each other. Proactively invite (but don't force) participation from those less likely to speak up. I've shared my complete framework in the article in the comments below. In my coaching and workshops with executives and teams worldwide, I've seen these skills transform even the most dysfunctional meeting cultures -- and I'd be thrilled to help your company's speakers and meeting leaders, too. What meeting dynamics challenge do you find most difficult to navigate? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments! #presentationskills #virualmeetings #engagement

Hybrid Meetings ≠ Inclusive Meetings. I’ve lived it - and here’s 5 practical tips to ensure everyone has a voice, regardless of location. I spent more than 10,000 hours in hybrid meetings while as a remote leader for The Clorox Company. I was often the 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 remote attendee - while the rest of the group sat together in a conference room at HQ. Here’s what I learned the hard way: 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲... ...by showing who gets heard, who feels seen, and who gets left out. If you're leading a distributed or hybrid team, how you structure your meetings sends a loud message about what (and who) matters. 𝟱 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝘆𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: 1️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 – who will actively combat distance bias and invite input from all meeting members 2️⃣ 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗿 – to monitor the chat and the raised hands, to launch polls and to free up the facilitator to focus on the flow 3️⃣ 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝗶𝗻 - so that there is equal access to the chat, polls, and reactions 4️⃣ 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗱𝘆 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 – pair remote team members with in-room allies to help make space in the conversation and ensure they can see and hear everything 5️⃣ 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘂𝗽 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 – be ready with a Plan B for audio, video, or connectivity issues in the room 𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳? 𝗧𝗿𝘆 𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹-𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. If even one person is remote, have everyone log in from their own device from their own workspace to create a level playing field. 🔗 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 for creating location-inclusive distributed teams in this Nano Tool I wrote for Wharton Executive Education: https://lnkd.in/eUKdrDVn #LIPostingDayApril

“Let’s have a meeting to talk about meetings,” said no one ever. But maybe we should. A Microsoft global survey found the #1 workplace distraction is inefficient meetings. The #2? Too many of them. Sound familiar? Last week, I led a meeting effectiveness workshop for a team of 15 at the request of their practice leader—who happens to be my husband. His team’s meeting struggles? Rambling discussions, uneven engagement, unclear outcomes, and lack of follow-through. He thought a meeting AI tool might fix it. Nope. AI can help document meetings, but it can’t make people prepare better, participate more, or drive decisions. The fix? It’s not “Have an agenda”. It’s setting the right meeting norms. My husband was hesitant to put me in the late morning slot–worried the team would tune out before lunch. I told him, “Put me in, coach. I’ll show you engagement.” And I did. For 90 minutes, we tackled meeting norms head-on through interactive discussions and small group exercises. Here are 5 norms they worked through to transform their meetings: 1️⃣ 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. An agenda is a list of topics. A purpose answers: What critical decision needs to be made? What problem are we solving? Why does this require a discussion? If you can’t summarize the purpose in one sentence with an action verb, you don’t need a meeting. 2️⃣ 𝗕𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗼’𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼��𝗺. Some discussions only need two people; others require a small group or the full team. Match the participants and group size to the topic and purpose.  3️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲. Before the meeting, define the problem or goal. Identify potential solutions. Recommend one. Outline your criteria for selecting the solution(s). Back it up with data or other relevant information. Preparation = productivity. 4️⃣ 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. A good facilitator keeps conversations on track, reins in tangents, and ensures all voices –not just the loudest–are heard. Facilitation matters more than the agenda. 5️⃣ 𝗘𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀. Summarize decisions. Assign action items. Set deadlines. Follow-up to ensure accountability and progress. A meeting without follow-through is just wasted time. The outcome of the workshop? 100% engagement. (One person even admitted she normally tunes out in these things but stayed engaged the entire time!) More importantly, the team aligned on meeting norms and left with actionable steps to improve. Want better meetings? Set better norms. Focus on facilitation. What’s one meeting tip that’s worked well for your team?

Meetings don’t fail because people are “bad at meetings.” They fail because the size and format don’t match the goal. I've facilitated and lead more groups than I can count over my career and have found that meeting size determines how people can be seen, heard, and included. Or whether the loudest voices (or fastest Wi-Fi) win. Here's how I have learned to approach each group size: Extra Large (100+) 🔅Goal: Awareness and alignment, not discussion. 🔅Length: 30–45 min (60 max). 🔅In-person: Energy, story, clarity. Use polls or a single prompt for reflection. 🔅Virtual: Tighter. Strong facilitation. Use chat prompts, quick polls, and a clear “here’s what happens next.” Large (50–99) 🔅Goal: Direction + commitment + a little signal from the room. 🔅Length: 45–60 min. 🔅In-person: Brief updates, then structured Q&A. Use tables or breakouts if you need input. 🔅Virtual: Use moderated Q&A, chat themes, and 2–3 micro-breakouts (5 minutes) if you need voices. Medium (15–40) 🔅Goal: Decision-making, coordination, and pain point surfacing. 🔅Length: 45–75 min. 🔅In-person: Best for discussion if you use structure: agenda, timeboxes, and assigned voices. 🔅Virtual: Cap it at 60 min. Use rounds (“each person: 30 seconds”) so it doesn’t become a two-person show. Small (7–15) 🔅Goal: Problem-solving and real conversation. 🔅Length: 30–60 min. 🔅In-person/Virtual: You can hear every voice if you design for it. Use “rounds,” clarify owner/next step, end with decisions. Extra Small (2–6) 🔅Goal: Get unstuck fast. 🔅Length: 15–30 min. 🔅In-person/Virtual: No slides. One problem, one decision, clear next step. If it runs long, you didn't set it up right. 1:1s (Fast & Frequent) 🔅Goal: Capacity, clarity, growth, support. 🔅Length: 15–30 min (if you're going over 30 you should do two shorter sessions). 🔅In-person/Virtual: Consistency matters more than location. The question is always: “What’s heavy? What’s unclear? What do you need from me?” IMHO - The Fast and frequent 1:1s are the most important meetings on your calendar. Because these are the minutes where trust is built and truth shows up. (Before it becomes burnout, conflict, turnover, or a mistake you can’t afford.) Would love your insights and observations on the topic! #showingup #liftingup #supportiveleadership

Q. How do you ensure you achieve successful outcomes from a meeting?  A. With expert facilitation.  We are not taught this at work, so I thought I'd share some tips. Having facilitated numerous meetings throughout my career, I've learned a thing or two about what works best. Here are my key strategies to make your meetings more productive and impactful: 1️⃣  Preparation is Key: Take the time to prepare an agenda that outlines clear objectives and desired outcomes for the meeting. This will set the tone and keep everyone on track. 2️⃣ Set Expectations: Communicate expectations with attendees beforehand. Let them know what is required of them and what they can expect from the meeting. Clarity breeds engagement! 3️⃣ Be a Master of Time Management: Keep an eye on the clock and ensure discussions stay on track. Time-box agenda items to prevent meetings from running over and respect everyone's time. 4️⃣ Encourage Participation: Create a safe space for everyone to voice their thoughts and opinions. Remember, diversity of thought leads to better outcomes. 5️⃣ Active Listening: Practice active listening throughout the meeting. It's not just about hearing but truly understanding what others are saying. This fosters trust and respect among team members. 6️⃣ Embrace Flexibility: Sometimes, things don't go according to plan. Be ready to adapt and pivot if needed. Flexibility is key to keeping the meeting productive and meaningful. 7️⃣ Follow Up: After the meeting, send out a summary of key points discussed, action items, and deadlines. This reinforces accountability and keeps everyone aligned. These tips have helped me facilitate successful meetings time and time again. Give them a try, and I guarantee your meetings will become more efficient and impactful! Got any other tips to add? Drop them in the comments below! It would be great to see other people's advice. 👇 #MeetingFacilitation #EffectiveCommunication #ProductivityTips #LeadershipDevelopment

𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐦… 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐍𝐨 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐦? A few months ago, I joined a virtual meeting led by a senior executive. On paper, he had everything—experience, expertise, and authority. But five minutes in… people were checking emails, cameras were off, and engagement? Nonexistent. Why? Because executive presence isn’t about titles—it’s about impact. And in a virtual world, impact looks different. The 3Vs of Executive Presence in Remote & Hybrid Work: ➊ Verbal – Are your words clear, concise, and compelling? Rambling loses attention fast. ➋ Visual – Body language still matters! Eye contact (yes, through the camera), posture, and gestures create connection. ➌ Vocal – Your tone, energy, and pacing set the meeting’s mood. A monotone voice? Instant disengagement. Forget perfection—energy and engagement matter more. Virtual presence isn’t about flawless speeches; it’s about making people feel connected and heard. And yes, AI tools can help… or hurt. Automated captions, virtual backgrounds, and AI summaries can enhance clarity—but over-reliance on tech can strip away authenticity. What’s your biggest challenge when leading virtual meetings? Drop it in the comments! #linkedin #linkedinforcreator #LinkedInForProfessionals #RemoteWork #VirtualMeetings #CommunicationSkills

Over the last few weeks, I've facilitated dozens of virtual classes in Microsoft Teams. While I still prefer the user-friendliness of Zoom, the reliability of WebEx, and the custom layouts found in Adobe Connect, here are three specific things I've been doing to make Teams a more engaging virtual learning environment: 📽️ Themes! By enabling the meeting themes option in my Teams account, I customize the pre-join screen (see below for an example) to help participants get ready to learn. 🧭 Meeting Options! By adjusting the default roles in the Teams meeting options, I ensure that all participants join as ''attendees" and my producer joins as the "co-organizer." These settings make the learning experience run smoothly for everyone. 🤝 Breakout Rooms! By quickly moving participants into very small groups (pairs or trios) near the start of the session, they form social bonds that enhance engagement. I'll give them 5 or 6 minutes to briefly share their response to a topic-related question... just enough time to start building a connection that will continue throughout the session. Logistically, I've been using Teams' chat to share JPG files to each room with activity instructions. How about you?? What Teams-specific tips have you discovered to create engaging virtual learning programs? #virtualfacilitation #virtuallearning #msteams #onlinelearning #engagement

“𝗪𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀.” Heard that one before? Let me show you what actually works 👇 Last week I ran a Zoom session with a group of strangers. (Shoutout to Ryan Clover-Owens and the crew at Maple Creative👋) No awkward questions. No drawn-out breakout rooms. No complicated team-building “games.” We spent five minutes on this: ✅ Greeted each person by name ✅ Dropped a chat prompt: “What made you say yes to this event?” ✅ Invited people to unmute and say hi Then, curious to see if this 5-minute warm-up made any difference, I asked: “Two words—how you felt at the start, and how you feel now.” Here’s what they shared: 🟡 Scattered ➡ Grounded 🟡 Nervous ➡ Welcoming 🟡 Anticipation ➡ Calm 🟡 Distracted ➡ Curious That shift didn’t come from slides or a perfectly planned agenda. Nope. It came from ✨connection✨. 💡 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆. They participate. They contribute. They actually want to be there. Especially online—where most people are logging in from the void—those first five minutes can decide the tone of your entire session. So next time someone says, “We don’t have time for icebreakers,” Try this instead: 👉 “𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆?” ✨ It doesn’t take long. It just takes intention. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂? Have you ever been in a meeting where someone actually made the effort to connect the group? What changed—compared to ones where they didn’t? Drop your experience below—I'd love to hear it.👇 #OnlineFacilitation #LiveOnlineTraining #ZoomTips #FacilitationSkills

Last quarter I ran a hybrid workshop where our co-located team dominated the conversation and our remote colleagues went radio-silent. I realized my setup and approach (camera pointing in the room, no set meeting protocols) were effectively muting half the group. Studies show that without explicit turn-taking structures, remote participants speak up 30% less than in-room attendees. When you find yourself facilitating a hybrid meeting (of any length), consider these tips: ✅ Dual Facilitator Pairing: One in-room, one online. Each person watching for hand-raises and chat cues. ✅ Virtual First Round-Robin: Start each topic by asking a remote attendee for input first. ✅ Shared Digital Whiteboard: Everyone posts ideas in real time, no physical flipcharts. Give the virtual group the first chance to speak before going to the room. You’ll be surprised how quickly the energy shifts. What’s your hybrid meeting hack? Drop it below! 👇 #Facilitation #HybridWork #InclusiveMeetings #VirtualCollaboration #MeetingTips Sutey Coaching & Consulting ---------- 🎯 Want to elevate your hybrid meetings? Let's chat: https://lnkd.in/gGJjcffw