2 Reasons Mixed Meetings of Virtual and In-Person Participants Don't Work
Why Mixed Meetings Don’t Work
A mixed meeting is whenever you have the hybrid approach of some people meeting in a room together and others dialing in with web-conferencing software or over the phone. There’s two reasons to avoid them at all costs.
The first reason has to do with the technology. Facilitators follow the practice of “idea permanence,” which is that an idea only counts when it’s written down. If an idea isn’t written down, it’s easily ignored or forgotten. Idea permanence is why facilitators are such heavy consumers of sticky notes and flipcharts. If your goal is to have participants contribute their ideas, then everyone must be able to type and enter their ideas onto some shared online space, like a Google Doc or a MURAL online whiteboard.
Not only that, but even the best room microphones don’t pick up every conversation. And how often have you seen two people in the room during a conference call lean in and whisper to each other so they can’t be overheard? Sidebar conversations send a bad message. And they’re a symptom of the second reason why mixed meetings are bad ideas: they’re exclusive. The most important role of the facilitator is to create a container of inclusion and psychological safety. When you have some participants in the room together and some that are online, you’re automatically limiting how some of the group can participate. In effect, you’re starting the meeting by disabling some of the participants.
Fortunately, there’s an easy solution to the problem of mixed meetings: either everyone is in the room, or everyone participates virtually from their own individual computer. This makes participation equal and inclusive.
PS: if you ask participants to use headsets, the audio is really good.
Registration is now open for The Ringel Group/Lizard Brain Virtual Facilitation Workshop on April 27 & 28! Want to attend or learn more? Send a note to brian@lizardbrain.com