Teleconference, as we know it today, became a mainstay in contemporary business in the 1960s. Its evolution to the hybrid meeting became solidified after the pandemic. Hybrid meetings will remain cost-friendly for companies, and with improving technology, it will be increasingly easy to create meaningful spaces to connect participants for deeper learning.
Looking forward to the future, what works when creating meaningful engagements that improve the in-person and remote meeting experience? How can you reimagine how the meeting will flow to transform experiences?
WHAT WORKS
Brand-free Zone – Meaning not pushing anything but the meeting purpose. We are ready to ease back on overwhelming our senses. Use little to no branding in meetings. Don’t create for sales. Create for transformation.
Plan for Participation – Everyone has options. As participants go, one option may be to opt out of an in-person event for financial, environmental, logistical, or personal reasons. Help the participant become invested in the meeting by communicating the agendas, pre-readings, and workspaces they’ll be in early.
Upgrade the Tech – Get the latest software update because it fixed that bug or increased security. Incorporate new ways of collaboration in the mix, such as cloud collaborating apps. Add traditional forms of media, such as photography, illustration, and music, to your programs and meetings. Be mindful of licensing appropriately and credit creators.
REIMAGINE PROCESSES
To start, leverage existing technology and contemporize your meeting planning and processes. Build in the how or H.O.W.:
H=HARMONIZE
O=OPERATIONALIZE
W=WORKOUT (work out, warm it up, work it and then werk!)
H: Harmonize. Find harmony in the agenda by balancing instruction or facilitation methods for different learners. Are you striking a balance for participation between remote and in-person participants? How will remote participants vote vs. in-person participants? How will everyone’s response to a question be captured?
O: Operationalize. The internal process of setting up a meeting should be consistent regarding communication, prep, and organizing meeting elements. If planning a hybrid event can be broken down into consistent processes, that is an opportunity to get lines of creative redundancy lined up to support your project, should you need it.
W: Workout. The act of working something out builds out your capacity and faculties to conquer complex hybrid gatherings. Rehearsal with a team of people who have a role is critical. The choreography, meeting movement/transitions, and the use or non-use of technical elements make the difference between good and great meetings.