5 handy (not Handforth) tips for online meeting etiquette
Handforth Parish Council are back – and this time it’s personal. Yes, their misadventures continue to make headlines as an object lesson in how not to run an online meeting.
In the cold, dark days of early February, millions were cheered up by the strangely compulsive and unintentionally hilarious shenanigans at the hapless council, whose December Zoom meeting went viral after degenerating more quickly than a roadmap out of lockdown.
Outtakes – including the bellowed “Read the standing orders! Read them and understand them!!” and the clenched-teeth indignation of “You have no authority here, Jackie Weaver, no authority at all!” – have become internet sensations, only rivalled so far this year by Bernie “it should have been me” Saunders grumpily nursing a pair of huge woolly mittens at President Biden’s inauguration.
Of course, in normal times, what happens in council chambers largely stays in council chambers. But this is the Time of Covid. We do things differently here.
When the Prime Minister first shut down the UK on 23 March 2020, businesses and organisations all over the country had to switch their meetings from in-person to virtual. That put councils in a somewhat awkward position. To maintain the democratic process, they couldn’t make private any online sessions that would usually be open to the public. Instead, they now had to broadcast them. However, the definition of “public” in this new digital era isn’t anyone who walks through the door. It’s anyone who has internet access.
Enter a bored east London teenager who has taken to viewing online council meetings in his spare time (yes, this is how 17-year-olds have to get their lockdown kicks). He spotted the comedy potential of the Handforth video and sent it to a friend, who uploaded it to Twitter. From there it went viral, amassing over six million views in days on YouTube alone.
So when Handforth reconvened for their first video-conference of 2021 on 15 February, they found themselves watched by over 3,000 people on YouTube. Some jumped into the Zoom room itself – several in fancy dress, others interjecting with the “standing orders” battle cry and one repeatedly playing the Benny Hill theme tune.
If you’d rather not run the risk of your remote meetings going global for all the wrong reasons, check out our tips for digital etiquette. And no, they don’t include wearing a pith helmet.
Prioritise security
The “if your name’s not down, you’re not coming in” policy is vital if you want to avoid being “Zoombombed”. Take sensible steps, such as providing passwords for meetings and only allowing designated members to share their screen and admit people. While Zoom has bolstered its security settings in response to some notorious hacking incidents in the early days of the pandemic, the Microsoft Teams platform beats it hands down for privacy and security. (It also doesn’t have “amusing” filters that could inadvertently turn you into a cute talking kitten.)
Set an agenda
Yes, it’s old school, and yes, it’s key whether you’re “in real life” or cyberspace. Your meeting’s agenda is the map that charts its smooth course. Include key points, how long you’ll be spending on each one, a list of people who’ll be attending and anything they need to bring, plus any relevant documents.
Do the housekeeping
Communication is trickier on video because you can’t always pick up on those non-verbal elements like body language that play such a major role in face-to-face conversations. To keep things running like clockwork, ensure attendees know how the meeting will be managed. Apart from common courtesies like switching mobile phones to silent and not interrupting people who are talking, can they jump into a discussion or do they have to be invited in by the chair? Should they mute their mics unless they’re speaking? Do their cameras need to be on for the duration?
Make it engaging and inclusive
Just because a meeting is online doesn’t mean it has to be impersonal. People still like to chat. Indeed, with working from home now so commonplace, opportunities for “water-cooler” moments with the rest of the team are essential for relationship building and everyone’s mental wellbeing. So it’s a good idea to plan in time for small talk before kicking off with introductions and the ground rules. Also, ensure everyone has the opportunity to play a role – sitting there without contributing is a real turn-off and results in doodling at best and demoralisation at worst.
Keep your pants on
Don’t become that person who joins a meeting clad in a work-suitable top but “downstairs” is secretly rocking joggers, shorts or just their pants – secretly, that is, until they stand up for some reason, completely forgetting about their below-the-line attire (or lack of). Our communications go way beyond our words. Dress appropriately from top not just to bottom but toes, and you’re more likely to convey the right attitude. And not find yourself a reluctant YouTube star.
Want to find out more about running productive and engaging meetings? Then register for our free summit on Meeting & Document Management on 30 March, 9.45am-2pm.
We’ll be discussing how digital solutions like Microsoft365 Teams, Decisions’ business process management and Epona document management systems can help you run online meetings that support success for your business or organisation without going viral.
