As the world continues to adapt to the new way of working and collaborating from a distance, virtual communication has become the new normal. However, maintaining effective virtual communication can be a challenge. This blog will walk you through the ten ways to improve and make effective virtual communication and bring your teams together, no matter where they are.
Use the Right Communication Tools
Selecting Appropriate Platforms
The need to select the correct and effective virtual communication tool is of paramount importance when it comes to interacting with colleagues over video calls, messaging, or even when sending files. For instance, video calls and presentations will demand the use of Zoom or Microsoft Teams, whereas Slack is the best option for synchronous messages and quick team updates. Whichever platform is chosen, each tool comes with its own unique features, which help determine what works best for each type of interaction. Therefore, the more we understand the communication channels available to us, the easier it will be to organize the flow of communication and move forward with our tasks.
The right tool can make it a better experience for everyone, and getting it right makes collaboration easier. For example, if you’re brainstorming ideas, a video conferencing tool is appropriate, as it helps the team feel more connected. If you’re communicating throughout the day, a messaging platform is better. Consider the platforms available for a given task, and then choose the one that is best suited to the job.
Tool Integration
In addition to using the right platforms, you can maximize productivity by integrating tools such as project management software (e.g., Asana and Trello) with your communication tools. This can mean the difference between keeping everyone on the same page and wasting time copy-pasting information. For example, integrating Asana with Slack will create notifications for your team members whenever a task is completed or a deadline is fast approaching.
It also ensures that both communication and project management are linked, enabling better workflow management. It reduces manual updates and helps keep team members on the same page, even when many of them work remotely. Integrating communication and task management tools makes it easier to operate because a team has to focus only on completing the task and not on moving information from one platform to another.
Set Clear Objectives for Each Interaction
Define your Meeting Goals
Every virtual conversation or meeting should be driven by a clear purpose so that the participants know what they are discussing and what can be expected from the discussion. Spelling out goals at the start of a meeting or conversation gives the discussion context and helps participants prepare for it. For example, if the purpose of a meeting is to brainstorm ideas about a new project, participants should come to the meeting prepared to share ideas. If the purpose of a meeting is to provide status updates, each team member should know what information is being requested of them.
If your objectives are clear and well-defined, you can’t veer off-topic. You’ll generally know what information needs to be exchanged and what decisions need to be made, and the invitees will know what they need to prepare and what they need to contribute. By holding yourself accountable for specific goals, your meetings will tend to be more efficient, making far better use of the time of the host and attendees.
Send Agendas in Advance
Another easy way to improve and make effective virtual communication is to send out an agenda before the meeting. An agenda details what will be discussed during the meeting, allowing the participants to think about what they might want to add, clarify, or question. Not only does this make the meeting more organized and focused on the right topics, but it also increases the chances that you will spend your meeting time on the most important matters.
An agenda also sets expectations for the length of the meeting. In virtual settings, where people may have shorter attention spans, this is even more important. When participants know how the meeting will flow, they are more likely to contribute effectively and to stay engaged throughout.
Prioritize Clarity in Messaging
Be Concise and Direct
Since a significant proportion of communication on the web is text-based, it’s very important to be efficient with words, to keep explanations tight, and to avoid background information that can dilute the message or confuse the listener. Often, especially with asynchronous communication or those across different time zones, it is best to get to the point and keep it short and sweet.
You don’t do this by omitting facts, but by honing in on the main message and communicating it as succinctly as possible. If your team members can communicate plainly and unambiguously, you get fewer ‘What do you mean?’ or ‘Let me clarify that…’ responses, which saves time and increases efficiency.
Use Simple Language
With effective virtual communication, you are often collaborating with team members who are not in the same room, country, or with the same native language. You want to make sure that they understand what you are trying to communicate and will not get lost in a tangled mess of jargon. Do not use fancy language such as ‘facilitate’, ‘virtual catalyst’, or ‘share knowledge’. Do not use ‘technical’ words such as ‘CAD’, ‘STP’, or ‘release management’. Do not use acronyms such as ‘CRM’, ‘NOS’, ‘PQLS’, or ‘Y2K.’.
Straight talk helps you to be understood by everyone, and it allows all of your fellow teammates to understand what you are saying, no matter what their primary language may happen to be. Simple, straightforward, and inclusive—these ideas benefit your team by allowing better collaboration and allowing everyone to move more quickly through conversations by not having to drill down into messaging issues.
Encourage Active Listening
Foster Engagement
We also discussed the value of active listening, especially in the virtual space, where it’s more likely that listeners will miss out on some of the nonverbal cues that are typically present in in-person interactions. To actively listen, as we’re reminded in the virtual meeting etiquette, is to listen without distraction so that all voices are heard and appreciated. As you’re listening to your colleagues on screen, try to focus on the speaker without multitasking or physically removing yourself from the meeting.
When team members know they are being heard, they are likely to make better contributions to the discussion, and more ideas are going to be noticed. People are likely to give their best and most creative answers. Overall, the discussion is likely more dynamic and productive. When we make an effort to be engaged and truly listen, we are more likely to collaborate in our thinking and produce better results.
Confirm Understanding
When giving a talk in a virtual meeting, to clarify that everyone understands the point you’ve just made, encourage team members to ask clarifying questions or to summarize what you’ve just said. Please don’t assume that everyone has heard and understood you, and don’t let them assume that you’ve heard their questions, either. This is particularly important in multinational teams where there are language differences.
Refrain from summarizing or reviewing the key ideas of a conversation to avoid confusion down the line, not to mention the exchange of ideas. It builds a culture of open dialogue and mutual respect that your team will welcome.
Utilize Visual Aids
Enhance Communication with Visuals
A lot more virtual meetings can be visualized, for example, using slides, charts, or infographics. Whatever the topic, it is easier for the participants to present the main idea in a visual format. Using visuals helps reduce the time needed to explain complex ideas.
First, it is easier to understand a topic when the information is broken down into a visual format, such as a slide, chart, or infographic. This allows participants to absorb the concept better.
Secondly, visuals can be more effective in explaining some topics than words. For example, a well-done chart can be more effective in explaining data trends than plain words.
Adding visuals to your presentations also ensures engagement from your audience, as they can see what you are talking about and follow the discussion on non-mundane slides. Be it a data set, workflow, or timeline for your project, visuals will help your audience follow your presentation and retain it better.
Screen Sharing
Screen sharing is another helpful tool to facilitate communication in virtual meetings. Screen sharing, available on most online meeting platforms such as Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet, allows the presenter to share their screen in real-time so that meeting participants can follow along with any presentations or demonstrations. This feature is particularly helpful when walking the team through documents, presentations, or software interfaces because they can all see the same thing at the same time.
Screen-sharing makes sense because everyone can see what you are talking about, and there is less chance of misunderstanding while you are presenting. Screen-sharing also allows for interaction so that participants can comment on the slide or question a point you are making.
Maintain Professionalism and Etiquette
Set Ground Rules
Having professionalism rules while in virtual meetings is as important as being in person, and the etiquette guidelines help keep the meetings productive and professional. Some basic rules are to mute microphones while not speaking so as not to have background noise, to be on time so as not to waste others’ time, and to keep a professional appearance, especially in video calls. These guidelines help everyone to participate without distractions or interruptions.
Making everyone aware of these rules from the beginning will set the tone for a productive and dignified meeting. Setting a formal tone and preventing what could be unruly or undignified behavior ensures that everyone can participate in a meaningful way and steer clear of an all-too-common consequence of overly casual meetings: aimless meandering and veering off the agenda.
Respect Time Zones
With global teams, it’s important to recognize the differences in time zones when scheduling meetings. Not everyone might be in the same time zone, and if you can schedule a meeting that works for the majority of participants, that’s a great way to respect people’s time and well-being. If possible, choose a time that works for the majority of your participants, or rotate your meeting times to share the burden among your global team members in different time zones.
TZ sensitivity means starting and ending meetings on time since some participants might have other commitments. Time zone sensitivity is not only fair, but it can also enhance the working relationship between members of a geographically distributed team.
Facilitate Inclusive Communication
Ensure Equal Participation
It is, therefore, important to create an inclusive space for a virtual meeting that ensures all participants have an equal opportunity to share their ideas. This can be done by the meeting host actively seeking input from all participants. This can range from calling on people to inviting them to contribute. It also includes ensuring that people who do not speak up easily have an opportunity to contribute. This helps in mitigating the problem of having one or two dominant voices in a virtual meeting and creates a more balanced discussion space that encourages diversity of ideas and opinions.
Furthermore, using respectful language and establishing guidelines for communication sets the tone for a meeting where all participants feel their contributions are valued. Inclusive communication not only enhances the quality of ideas generated during the meeting but also strengthens team dynamics.
Leverage Polls and Q&A Features
Some tools that can promote engagement in online meetings include polls or QA sessions that allow anyone to participate in the meeting. Polls allow team members to provide feedback or vote anonymously, which can be particularly helpful for individuals who feel less comfortable speaking up, thus allowing everyone to have a voice without having to put themselves out there.
The Q&A features also allow those taking part to ask questions or make comments while the virtual meeting is taking place, and this can be viewed in real-time. The use of such tools breaks down some of the barriers to participation that might otherwise exist and serves to make a virtual meeting more dynamic and democratic.
Follow Up with Meeting Summaries
Summarize Key Points
It’s important to follow up on every virtual meeting with a summary of the key points to reinforce the decisions that were made and ensure that everyone is on the same page about what comes next. And for anyone who misses the meeting or needs to refresh their memory at a later date, summaries can provide a handy reference.
A good minutes or summary lists the principal topics discussed, the decisions taken, and what needs to be taken further. Summaries help keep people informed about what took place so that there is no misunderstanding about what was or wasn’t agreed upon.
Provide Actionable Tasks
Furthermore, make sure you provide actions and deliverables for the team to take in the summary of the meeting. This will help increase the likelihood of success. By listing actions in the meeting summary, you are helping to remind everyone what was discussed and assigned to them. This can also ensure clarity among team members.
Having action items with deadlines and deliverables is a way to ensure the meeting momentum is harnessed moving forward. This type of approach makes virtual meetings results-driven, keeping a project moving forward and on track.
Use Nonverbal Communication Effectively
Leverage Body Language
Although online communication reduces the diversity of our nonverbal expression, you can still express interest and care during a video call through facial expressions, eye contact, and gestures. Smiling, nodding, and looking at the other person in the eye (even if this means looking at the camera) signal that you are listening and engaged. These nonverbal expressions help to make the interaction feel more personal.
Awareness of your body language and the body language of others will help you create a more intimate, responsive space on the virtual platform. This fosters greater trust and honesty among the participants.
Monitor the Tone and Voice
When making effective virtual communication where you do not have much physical presence, tone of voice is very important when expressing emotion and emphasizing the highlights of your message. If you are calm but still determined, excited but still composed, or assertive but still fair, you express emotions and highlights of your message that can complement the information you are conveying. This avoids misinterpretations and miscommunications.
Adopting a precise, calm, and confident tone of voice will help make effective virtual communications stay on track and succeed. This includes pausing to allow others to participate and using intonation and emphasis to signal the relative importance of different ideas.
Continuously Improve your Virtual Communication Skills
Seek Feedback
To keep effective virtual communication moving, you should periodically seek feedback from team members about how their virtual and online communication is working. Ask them to fill out a short survey, have a conversation with team members one-on-one, or bring it up during a team reflection. Ask team members to provide feedback on whether or not virtual team meetings ran smoothly, if communications were clear, or if the tools being used were helpful.Â
When upper management allows feedback to flow freely, teams can keep their effective virtual communication systems open and constantly make small adjustments to improve efficiency and collaboration.
Ongoing Training
As technology and best practices around effective virtual communication are ever-changing, training opportunities need to be available to refresh skills. Training and development conversations could include areas such as training on virtual technologies or investing in lessons on effective virtual communication and presentation skills that will help team members continue to adapt.Â
Training also keeps the team informed about the latest communication approaches and styles, which the team will use in their day-to-day interactions. Constant improvement in effective virtual communication will help teams work together despite changes in the remote work landscape.
Conclusion
Today, more than ever, we rely on effective virtual communication to keep our interactions clear, efficient, and productive. With the right tools, goals, active listening, visuals, and professionalism, teams can ensure that they build rapport with each other and perform well online. Encouraging inclusivity, providing follow-ups and summaries, utilizing nonverbal cues, and requesting and giving feedback are also important to successful and effective virtual communication. With these strategies, we can continue to work together on any digital platform with success.