Keeping Pace and Making Space:

Strategies to lead and facilitate a team or large group virtual meeting

In my work as an Executive Coach, I have enjoyed working with many clients remotely for the past 6 months. I have become practiced in the art of leading and facilitating team and large group meetings online.

In this post I share what I have learned about making virtual meetings more effective and collaborative, by creating a space in which people feel included, connected and able to have meaningful conversations.

Please do read, send to others and share your tops tips for making virtual meetings fun and valuable.

My strategies for leading and facilitating a team meeting or larger group meeting virtually:

Tip #1 - Arrive early to welcome people into the meeting

Most invites are sent by the client to the team. However, I always request the meeting is open to me as a facilitator 30-45 minutes before. This allows me to be ready and waiting in the meeting, so I can be confident that everything is working and, most importantly, to be there to welcome everyone as they arrive.

Personally, I use a stand-up desk and almost always stand for welcoming people. In fact, I usually stay on my feet for the first half hour up to an hour. I find standing with my feet on the ground helps with energy, especially when working with larger groups of more than 10 people. A top tip for managing your own energy and helping others to manage their energy.

Tip #2 - Decide when to start

Even the most experienced online person can have difficulty getting into a virtual meeting (usernames, codes and registration etc). Many people are also hopping from meeting to meeting, with little time in-between, so it is a good idea to signal that you will wait a few minutes if not everyone has arrived exactly at the start time. During this time, encourage people to stay off mute, to say hello to each other and to finish off anything that might get in the way of them being present.

That includes turning off non-urgent notifications and other distractions. As a facilitator, it also gives you the chance to make sure attendees are facing their cameras directly as people with two monitors are often sideways on to their camera view.

Tip #3-Reveal the names of everyone in the meeting

Usually when people join an online meeting their name shows up on the screen, but not always. Sometimes people come up as Unknown User (UU). Their name will however usually appear in the bottom left of their image once they have joined and stays linked to their image there even though the name itself may go out of view. If this does not work, you can ask all participants to type their name in the chat window and say hello. In addition, the Participant List also shows everyone’s name and their status in terms of Video on/off, Mute on/off.

Tip #4 -Set the Scene

Once you have welcomed everyone and they have said hello to each other, it is a good idea to start with clarity about the format and timings. Try to set the scene with the importance of making time for reflection, for conversation and for movement. Signal when the scheduled breaks are.

I recommend slightly longer breaks to give people time to move about, get a drink, and come back ready for the next part of the meeting. My recommended approach is 1hr - 1hr15 in the meeting then a 15 - 20-minute break, followed by a further 1hr - 1hr15 minutes followed by lunch. If the team is working through the day then an hour for lunch works best. Encourage movement and a breath of fresh air if possible.

Tip #5 - Cameras on

Do invite everyone to turn and to keep their camera on, where possible. If people have trouble with bandwidth, ask them to use the camera only while they are speaking so everyone can get a glimpse of them. You can encourage the use of cameras by highlighting the importance of feedback, reassurance, recognition and the acknowledgement that we get from being able to see and respond to each other. I encourage everyone to have their screen on Gallery View.

Tip #6- Opening conversation and creating a safe environment

I usually start with an opening question – like what will help you be your best, enable you to be open and will help others to be their best and be open? In a smaller group, ask everyone to say verbally what will help and make a note of everything as facilitator. You can then refer to these throughout the meeting.

In a large group (10 – 20+) you could ask everyone to write what will help them/help others in a few words in the Chat box. I usually advise everyone to only use the Chat for capturing thoughts in a few words. It can be a huge distraction if too much is written, read and everyone is responding to each other in Chat! Instead, I encourage the intention of actively listening to each other, asking questions and having a conversation together.

Tip #7 - Reflection and conversation and how best to use Chat

It is important to give people in a team or group time to think, to reflect and to make a note of their reflections before sharing with the team during the meeting. In a team setting, I will go round and facilitate who we hear from next. In a large group (10 – 20+) I ask people to put their name in the Chat box if they have a question and explain that we will hear from everyone in the order in the Chat. This helps keep pace and momentum, and ensures that everyone has a chance to contribute. As mentioned in the previous point, it is a good idea to recommend keeping dialogue in the Chat to just a few words from each person.

Tip #8 - Using the Chat functionality in a large group with a Speaker

In a large or very large group (20 +) with a Speaker, encourage participants to use the Chat box AFTER the person has spoken. For example, allow 5 minutes for people to reflect and to put their questions and comments in the Chat. Sometimes the speaker will select a few and speak to a group of questions, sometimes not.

If the session is quite long and the speaker has a few key points to get across, suggest that they make space for questions after 10-minute intervals and again at the end. This makes for a much more interactive and responsive session. Speakers also welcome the feedback as they go along – again another great reason to keep cameras on.

Tip #9 - Use Breakout Rooms

There are a few options now available for creating smaller groups for breakout discussions. In Microsoft Teams they can be set up ahead of the Teams meeting as links, which participants can be invited to using a particular link. In Zoom you can create ‘Breakout’ Rooms, depending on the number of people in the meeting and how many people you want in each Breakout.

My experience is that in large groups people really do welcome being in smaller, breakout sessions. Giving enough time in the breakouts is really important so everyone gets to speak and the group gets the chance to have a conversation or discussion.

Tip #10 - Use of a flip-chart and paper

I use a physical flip-chart, most frequently with larger groups. I usually have something on the flip-chart that is a quote or a simple ‘framework’. Rarely, if ever, have I used it to write down words or things the team have said – as all my attention is on them. When I use the flip-chart I ask people to put their screen onto Speaker View – and then go back to Gallery View.

I have been known to sketch something in the moment. However, rather than standing up to do so on the flip-chart, do this on paper. This works a treat in the moment and creates a nice space for pause and reflection. Personally, I have never used slides and have had to find a way that works without them. I haven’t used the virtual White Board function and for most people this is refreshing, energising and fun as well as being a reflective and interactive experience.

Tip #11 - Allow for Closing conversation

Always aim to end the meeting 10 – 15 minutes ahead of the allotted time. Many people will have something that starts on the hour or immediately after the meeting. I hope that by promoting a model that makes space between meetings, everyone will be able to carry this forward into their everyday way of working.

Try to make time to have a closing conversation after some reflection. I like to ensure in a team setting (7 – 10 participants) that everyone has an opportunity to say what they are committing to (self, team and others) and clarify other actions. In a large group (10 – 20+) close by asking everyone to place a one word response in the Chat box with. For example, allow for time to share how people are feeling as we are to end the meeting.

Tip #12 - Encourage Spontaneous conversations outside the virtual meeting

Most online meetings require planning and scheduling. However, I would definitely advocate spontaneity and picking up the phone for a chat. Checking in with someone how they are. And for the more informal group chats and small team conversations, setting up a WhatsApp group or Microsoft Teams Chat or similar can be a sociable place to share more personal conversations and catch up on the every day.

Whether phone, WhatsApp, Teams or Zoom, encouraging people to get up and move about and to have a walk and talk is a great thing to do. Whilst not physically side by side, the walk and talk while on the phone is a great way of having a one to one conversation for those that can, and have access to a place to walk – and talk.

Final thoughts…enjoy and make it fun

When leading and facilitating a team meeting, keeping pace and making space are key. It is about making sure everyone is welcomed, seen, heard and valued as a contributor.

My preference in groups of over 10 is to always have a co-leader. This can be the actual leader of the team - and we will have worked this out together in advance - or it can be a colleague of mine. When I am facilitating a large group/masterclass I always do so with a colleague.

We are all on this learning journey together and I would like to thank everyone – teams, groups and colleagues - who have helped me on my online learning journey and made it fun to learn together.

Further information and partnerships

I work with senior leaders to help them unlock their leadership potential. You can find more information about my work as an Executive Coach and Leadership Consultant or contact me to see how we could collaborate.