United States Department of Agriculture Image credit: Tips for Virtual Meetings

Virtual Meeting Tips Prepare participants Set a positive, energetic tone Provide/decide on rules for engagement Use web tools to keep folks engaged Switch up the format often Facilitate for balanced & 100% participation Capture ideas, decisions, actions on screen Evaluate and follow-up 2

Conference Call Etiquette Call in on time or let the leader know you will be late, Limit or eliminate background noise, Mute your phone when not talking, Listen to everyone, Don’t talk while someone else is talking, Repeat your name when you speak, and Say Goodbye prior to leaving

Conference Call Leader Etiquette Set-up the meeting in advance and send information to callers, Send an agenda prior to the call, Allow everyone to introduce themselves at the beginning, Keep the discussion from wandering, Do ask for input by using a person’s name, and If a call goes longer than expected, give callers the option to continue or re-schedule

5 For Audio: Dial Into Phone Line Use mute only if necessary Do NOT place call on hold Connect from a quiet place Silence your cell phone Turn off computer speakers Set Lync to “Do Not Disturb”

Engage Participants! Switch up the format often Offer different ways to engage Webcam and presentation Feedback tools Chat pod Poll questions Whiteboard Break-out groups 6

7 Please… Listen to learn & understand Participate fully and share the air Avoid multi-tasking and interruptions Say your name when you talk Take care of yourself! Example ground rules: