A Topic I’m Tired Of

In this next installment of our mini-series on running better meetings based on what I’m learning as a facilitator lately, we’re going to focus on meeting formats.

It’s a conversation that I’m really sick of, but it keeps coming up in my work, so I guess it needs to come up in my writing too. Because it’s a decision that can make or break your meetings.

Here’s where I’m landing these days:

• Choose your format intentionally. Digital, in-person and hybrid are different experiences, each with their own advantages and tradeoffs. Beware of defaulting to one format repeatedly, regardless of what your objectives require. Digital meetings are more efficient, productive and cost-effective. In-person meetings are better for casual relationship building, spontaneity and nuance.
  
• Single format meetings are almost always better than hybrid. They are higher and more equitable in their experience quality, when well facilitated.  If inclusion is your highest value, fully digital still allows for that. If you value inclusion for everyone and deep connection for the people joining in person, hybrid might be back on the table — but understand the trade-offs. And no unplanned, last-minute hybrid. Please.
  
• Hybrid has some basic requirements. Everyone has to be able to see and hear everyone else, and they must be able to see whatever people are writing on (i.e. the digital white board or flip chart or…) as content is generated in real time.
  
• If people join a meeting digitally, they will be multi-tasking. (As will your facilitator, when you’re busy in breakout rooms!)  Decide how you feel about that. In in-person meetings, people will rarely be able to multi-task. Decide how you feel about that too.
  
• If you are meeting in person and your facilitator asks for empty wall space as a set-up requirement, that is not the same as asking, “Are there walls?” We need empty, smooth walls, that we can reach and that people can see. No catering tables in front of them. No 3D window trim or panelling transecting them. No art bolted to them. Not 200 feet away from the tables. Not covered in material that things won’t stick to.
  
• We can use digital tools in in-person meetings to come closer to the best of both worlds. People are used to answering questions simultaneously now (think Zoom Chat) rather than having to wait their turn — so why not let them?
  
• I’m not convinced that digital conference spaces that try to mimic in-person conference spaces are the way to go. I’d rather have digital conference spaces that optimize what digital tools allow us to do together rather than pretending we’re together in person. It just reminds me that we’re not and creates an experience that feels like a consolation prize. No need for that.
  
• I’m still convinced that digital is not a “plan B” — it’s just a different “plan A” that lets us avoid travel, cuddle our pets and drink better coffee, but doesn’t allow us to benefit from hallway and buffet-line conversations.
  
• Facilitators need to be equally proficient at all three formats, or don’t offer them. If you are self-employed, you get to choose how you design your practice and what skills you hone — take advantage of that ability to choose, and market your services accordingly.

Rant over.