As we move into the new normal, virtual meetings are here to stay. However, virtual meetings can have many technology issues that will derail your meeting!  So, the question is what to do about them.

Whether it’s Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a conference call, podcast, webinar, or going live on social media, there are two givens in any virtual meeting:

• 20-25 percent of ALL virtual meetings have technology problems that can disrupt the meeting.
• Expect the unexpected. Never underestimate the ability of the internet, the meeting software, mistakes you make, or a mindless participant to create technology issues.

Despite the fact that technology issues will never completely go away, there is one key area you must always pay attention to.

What matters most on EVERY virtual meeting

If someone were to ask you what is the most important element of a successful virtual meeting, what would you say?

You may be surprised to learn that it’s the audio. Here’s why:

• Even with a video feed, if the audio breaks up, participants leave.
• Limited bandwidth and slow internet speeds often force participants to join your meeting in auditory-only mode.

That means any participant who joins your virtual meeting in audio-only mode is on the modern-day version of a conference call! Consequently, your primary focus must always be on the audio, rather than the video feed.

To illustrate this point, several years ago I led a NAR webinar with over 1,400 participants. Halfway through the meeting, a thunderstorm knocked out our internet. Fortunately, I still had an old-fashioned landline. I dialed back in and picked up where I left off as a conference call. The meeting organizers were amazed that virtually no one dropped off the meeting.

This example illustrates why it’s important to always have a backup plan for moving to an audio-only format if your internet or wi-fi connection fails. The quality of your audio feed is what will make or break your meeting.

Excerpted from Lead Great Virtual Meetings, The Steps You Need to Succeed, by Bernice Ross and Byron Van Arsdale copyright 2021