As teams are working more and more remotely, the need for well-designed and effective facilitation of remote sessions grows. Virtual facilitation requires a unique set of skills, and learning how to facilitate online can take time and practice. In this article, we will explore some tips and insights to help you be an effective virtual facilitator.
One of the biggest problems when conducting online workshops is keeping energy levels throughout the course. When you are facilitating an online workshop, it is harder to discern your body language. Therefore, it is essential to keep your energy levels up. This will help you create a sense of psychological security in the room and foster the feeling of collaboration among your participants.
A technical glitch could be a major obstacle for virtual facilitators. These issues can cause a lot of frustration for your attendees and can cause disruption to your workshop or meeting. To avoid these issues it’s a good idea test your internet connection, and also have a backup hotspot in case an outage. You should also ensure that you have a www.mergerdataroom.blog/how-to-boost-virtual-facilitation-among-clients-and-coworkers/ good webcam and microphone and that you are in a quiet area free of distractions or background noise.
Additionally, it is essential to be able to clearly communicate with your participants about the expectations of the session prior to when you begin. Sending workshop materials in advance is essential, and so are letting the participants know any logistical information (such local time zones) before the virtual session. Additionally, you can improve engagement by calling the participants and asking open-ended questions to stimulate discussion.