Hello, Explearners! Welcome back. Recently in our community we talked about the importance of being able to verbally communicate our personalities, especially showing not telling and how there are professional applications for doing so, such as in job interviews. If you would like to take part in those conversations and workshops, I'd encourage you to join our community, Explearning Academy. Sign up at academy.explearning.co. We'd love to have you.

In today's lesson, I'll be sharing 13 effective communication strategies for better virtual meetings. If you're ready, let's get to it.

Effective communication is essential for successful online meetings. In a virtual setting, it can be more difficult to communicate effectively, because you can't see or hear people in the same way that you can in person. This can lead to misunderstandings, and misunderstandings can lead to conflicts. By being aware of and implementing effective communication strategies, you can ensure that your online meetings are productive and successful. 

Some key strategies for effective communication in online meetings include using clear and concise language, encouraging active listening, being aware of non-verbal communication, using visual aids, and being prepared. By following these strategies, you can foster a positive and productive environment for online meetings.

Let's go over the 13 strategies.

Be prepared before the meeting, make sure that you have everything you need, including any relevant documents or materials. 

Check your technology beforehand. Make sure that you have a stable internet connection and test your microphone and camera before the meeting to avoid any technical difficulties during the call itself.

Use video when possible. Seeing each other's faces can help foster connection and collaboration, making it easier to build rapport and understand each other's non-verbal cues. 

Minimize distractions. Make sure you're in a quiet, distraction free environment during the meeting, and turn off notifications on your computer and phone.

Start the meeting on time and keep it on track. This will show respect for everyone's time and help ensure that the meeting is productive. It's important to be punctual, so make sure that you join the meeting on time or even a few minutes early if you have to set up a presentation. This shows that you respect your colleagues' time and are committed to the meeting.

Use clear, concise, and succinct language, when speaking. Avoid using jargon or complex language or technical terms that may be difficult for others to understand. Refrain from using any technical items that may not be familiar to everyone in the meeting unless you've defined those terms ahead of time, but it's best to avoid them in general. 

Encourage active listening. Ask for clarification if you don't understand something right off the bat and repeat back what you heard to confirm that you understood it correctly. Listen carefully to what others are saying and try to understand their perspectives. 

Ask questions or repeat back what you heard to confirm your understanding. 

Be aware of nonverbal communication. Pay attention to body language, gestures, microexpressions, tone of voice, and other nonverbal cues, to better understand what others are saying. 

Use visual aids. When and if possible, use slides, images, audio bites, video clips to help illustrate your points and keep people engaged. It also helps elucidate a topic that might be a little bit nebulous. 

Encourage participation. Invite others to share their thoughts, stories, ideas, and avoid dominating the conversation. You can also use phrases such as, "what do you think?" "Can you share your opinion on this?" "I'd love to hear your thoughts." 

Use collaborative language. Use phrases such as, "let's work on this together," or "How can we solve this problem?" Or, "let's all put our heads together on this one," to encourage teamwork and collaboration, which is very important.

Summarize key points. At the end of the meeting, summarize the key points, takeaways, and action items to ensure that everyone is on the same page and knows what to do, after the meeting. Follow up after the meeting, send out a summary of the meeting. You can include the minutes, include any action items or decisions that were made so that that jogs their memory, and this will really ensure that everyone is on the same page and are working together towards the same shared goals. 

By following these communication strategies and using these phrases, you can help foster a positive and productive virtual meeting experience.

Are you ready to put this into practice? I have a set of quests for you to complete if you are a member of our private community, Explearning Academy. So if you would like the quests, the live discussion, the live interactive workshop, the other exercises that go along with it, and an opportunity to submit questions or ask me live, then you can sign up for our community by going to academy.explearning.co, or just use the link down below.

In conclusion, effective communication is crucial for successful online meetings by using clear and concise language, encouraging active listening, being aware of nonverbal communication and tone of voice, using visual aids being prepared, you can ensure that your online meetings are productive and successful.

By implementing these strategies, you can foster a positive and productive environment for virtual meetings and help ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals.

Thank you so much for joining me, Explearners. I'm looking forward to seeing you in the next one, and maybe I'll see you in my community Explearning Academy. If you like this lesson, be sure to give it a thumbs up. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, share it with friends and family who are interested in improving their communication skills and social fluency.

And also, if you'd like a podcast to listen to, you can check out ours. We are on all the podcast platforms, so, you'll have your pick there. All right, I'll see you in the next one. Happy Explearning everyone.

About the Author and the Explearning Academy:

Mary Daphne is an expert in communication, executive interpersonal skills, and personal development. She is the founder of the Explearning Academy, a platform dedicated to helping individuals enhance their social fluency, boost their careers, and elevate their social game. Through immersive group coaching programs like the Executive Communication Lab and self-guided journeys, participants gain the social superpowers and career catapults they've been searching for. If you're ready to take your negotiation skills to the next level and connect with like-minded individuals, visit academy.explearning.co and explore the various plans available. Join the Explearning Academy community and unlock your full potential.

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