The definitive guide to Asynchronous Meetings and Remote Communications |

Before I made the switch to remote working, I was employed in a remote team for the bank that was online. There was a constant test of various kinds of remote meetings that varied, and generally, they went well.

However, it's not always straightforward to improve efficiency, or ensure effective communication in remote meetings. Or decide what type of meeting you want to host initially.

This piece (based on some research and my personal experience) will assist you in knowing the various types of meetings that can be conducted remotely, and the best way to run these meetings, using a few tricks and tips using the appropriate equipment for your needs as well as the most general guidelines for conducting virtual meetings.

The different types of remote meetings

You may not give it much thought prior to now, but there are a variety of remote meeting types (and you're probably already somewhat familiar with these). Thanks to the advancement of technology in this area, we're in a position to communicate with distant employees as well as other team members with the help of any of these primary methods or a combination of these methods!

Teleconferencing

Of all the types of remote meetings that will be discussing in this piece, teleconferencing is probably the most well-proven and tried method. Since it's a phone call that is audio only, the technology for it is a lot older and more simple than other methods on the list.

The idea is that the host will be available on the telephone's line during a particular date and time. At that all participants are able to dial into' by dialing a telephone number. Naturally, this kind of meeting is great for small groups of attendees. However, not having the possibility of seeing each other's presence could be difficult if multiple individuals are speaking simultaneously.

Video conferencing

Since the onset of a specific pandemic around 2020, videoconferencing has become an integral part aspects of our lives due to applications like Zoom meetings and Microsoft Teams.

Video conferences (conferences) are similar in model to teleconferencing in the sense that hosts host an event that is live, where participants join using a web-based hyperlink or phone number. However, the main difference is that participants can be capable of seeing each other and utilize software that makes the meeting more productive and interesting.

Web conferencing

Lastly, the third most frequent type of virtual meetings is the web-based conference. It's not difficult to mix this one up with video conference, but it is a different matter. Web conferences tend to be used to host online events (like all-hands conferences) as well as online training or project collaboration where meetings are a benefit because they have an operational aspect.

It is ideal for larger-scale projects or large-scale corporate meetings. They could be configured in a similar manner to the videoconference. It can need pre-registration or ticketed attendance.

A further layer of different meeting types Additionally, you have the choice of'sync' meeting, or async.

What is an asynchronous meeting?

Asynch-based meetings are one type of meeting that's not time, and don't usually necessitate immediate action.

Synchronous communication vs asynchronous communication

In the digital banking job I have previously discussed, they worked at making sure that employees who were remote could feel comfortable and relaxed in the decision-making process, status updates, check-ins, and team-building actions. In order to achieve this, they required to utilize both synchronous and asynchronous meetings. Each offers benefits and drawbacks.

The benefits of synchronous meetings:

• Most closely resembles in-person meetings.
• Immediate feedback on action issues or discussion.
• Being able to talk via live video can assist people share their ideas quicker.

The negative:

• The majority of the time, you'll meet people who are quiet or introverted, and struggle to fit into the group.
• However, if everyone wants to share their thoughts, the meeting will quickly be a chaotic group of individuals who are chatting about one another.
• The risk is that you will experience technological delay or network issues when you need it the most.

 Benefits of asynchronous meetings:

• If there's no pressure to speak up immediately, almost everybody has the chance to let their voice be heard.
• It was easier to arrange appropriate times for meetings which were globally distributed or that included night group members on shifts (something my previous workplace enjoyed enormously).

The downside:

• Based on the Buffer's State of Remote Work report the survey found that 20% of the participants stated that loneliness was their main issue (which I can also attest) Sync meetings provide your an opportunity to "see" other people, so moving to asynchronous comm can add to loneliness.
• In the event that a swift reaction isn't required, team members might forget to take action or respond altogether.
• A common issue when working remotely, as per the Statista that also applies for async-based meetings (since they could go from one location to another throughout the time of the day) is the inability to disconnect.

In the end, looking at both advantages and disadvantages, it's an issue of choosing which format is best for the occasion instead of picking either extreme. In this article, I'll be focusing in a little more detail on meeting that are async starting now (since they're much less well-known).

How can you conduct an effective Asynchronous Meeting

So now you know what sorts of remote meetings there are as well as different possibilities for running them, but how do you organize an online meeting? This can be an issue even if you're used to real-time meeting.

As I have no prior experience in managing meetings (only taking part in them), I asked two experts, among them a former Project Manager who later became a writer for hire, Laura Bosco, what they thought made the most effective Asynchronous product meetings. What she said: to share:

HTML0 "--the context and structure of the message async have been major factors for me, and continue to be a major factor for me when I work for customers.

Context: Certain types of announcements, feedback, or inquiries are more sensitivity or at risk of being misinterpreted. Video can be more effective than text because people are able to listen to your voice as well as be able to see your face. This reduces the chance of misperceptions and injury.

Format: Big fan of BLUF (bottom-line-up-front) in most written comms. It's also more effective. If you clearly and concisely stated, you're more likely to receive the information you need. This is also a means to demonstrate empathy for those who receive it. This shows appreciation for their efforts and the every day influx of emails.

     Additionally, there's text formatting. Bullets, headers, bold or italics in response to key requests...these don't devalue the recipient. They assist them to digest your messages . "

Laura isn't alone to recommend that context-based communication is the most effective way to make use of async communications. Michael Steele, CEO of Flywheel Digital (a remote-first technological marketing company) who is an enthusiastic use of Notion, Google Docs, as well as Slack for building their technology stack. Also, he said:

     "A important aspect of having success in this world of synchronous communications with clients and employees is providing details. Everybody involved needs to be aware of the objectives and most current developments or events of note, and have the ability to gain access to important documents like strategies, marketing personas, and report on performance.

Without a context to synchronize communications, miscommunications often arise and time is spent repairing errors and making corrections that could easily been prevented by having the right information available right from the beginning. "

Regarding the practical aspect of managing meetings, founder of ScrapingBee (a 100% remote company) Kevin Sahin says that along with holding short, live-streamed meetings that are supported by memos created using Notion and Slack, they also utilize Slack:

"Slack is asynchronous" and makes use of Slack status to determine if a colleague is able to be reached via phone call, or not. If we post messages on Slack and we do not expect instant response. This is important to note. The general principle is to select the right application for the job."

In order to conduct a productive meeting asynchronously, you need to make sure you're properly using the software by providing context. that the topics they're discussing are simple and quick to handle.

9 suggestions to plan and execute the perfect meeting remotely

No matter if your remote meeting is synchronous or not, but there are some general guidelines to ensure that they run smoothly. These suggestions are based on the latest research as well as from experience. I'll present them in the pre-, in the middle and post-format for those who favor real-time. However, the information can be used to facilitate meetings that are in asynchronous mode.

Prior to the gathering:

1. It is important to ensure that only those who are essential are permitted to participate. If you overcrowd your virtual meeting, such as a videoconference or Slack channel, the information will quickly be lost and less people are capable of actively participating.
2. Make a crystal-clear agenda. You can set agendas for either real-time or async-based conferences using the program of your choice, when I was working at the financial sector, we developed Notion templates using fill-ins that reflected the current issues and action points.
   
3. Set meeting standards. Laura also mentioned her most effective strategy which is to create and distribute "how to work together" documents ( like this one) for helping define norms and expectations in meetings and different forms of communication.

 At the time of the session:

1. Start and finish within the timeframe. This point is especially relevant for remote meetings. There's anything worse than showing up to a meeting late or not having enough time. It's crucial to be punctual to those who attend. It's also true for meeting async -- if you do not respond in a reasonably timely period of time, the information could be lost, or deadlines may not be completed.
   
2. Make it brief. Similar to the previous point, there's not much point in having an hour-long live-streamed meeting even if it is possible to make all things you'd like to make using async messages or smaller gatherings. For async, you should do not write huge blocks of text or long pauses in recorded videos.
   
3. Make sure everyone is recognized or heard. As I mentioned earlier, not everyone has the required personality to be able to voice their opinions in real-time conversations, async comms permits those not able to voice their opinions. In the role of an administrator, or a host of meetings is still important to monitor the participation of participants.

Following the gathering:

1. Gather feedback from participants. If you're experimenting using different kinds of events, you need to get feedback from your participants to find the things that aren't working regarding the method of communication used and style. Certain software might perform better than others on different people.
   
2. Provide a means for communication to follow-up. Generally speaking, it's recommended to set up a channel of communication or online space where participants can discuss specific aspects of the event or update on action items without cluttering in the meeting itself.
   

If you're now thinking, "those tips are all nice and well, but which programs are they? " The next paragraph will assist you.

Software for remote meeting facilitation

Naturally, one of the foremost considerations to consider when conducting remote meetings of any type is to ensure that you're using the appropriate technology first. When it comes to synchronous meetings, the most popular videoconferencing options including Zoom, Microsoft Teams/Skype, and Google Meet do the trick very well. But, there's a distinct difference with regard to meetings that happen synchronously.

There are a few well-known Asynchronous Meeting Software (which are generally project management tools) and others that were previously mentioned include:

•       Slack
•       Trello
•       Google Docs
•       Asana
•       Notion
•       Basecamp
• If you're part of a team made up of programmers, Gitlab or Github can be a viable option.

Selecting the best software for hosting your virtual meeting

Most collaboration tools that I've discussed above use text, or can be used for communication. Some tools are a mix of images texts, video or text. So, just as Laura mentioned in the past contextualization and context are essential.

For simple project updates

If you're trying for ways to bring people up speed about what the circumstances are, applications such as Trello, Asana, and Notion are excellent for this. In my case, for instance, I (and my former employer) utilize Notion boards to provide the status of projects as well as to view comments.

It is possible to create a organization that resembles a board with all of the applications mentioned above.

For continuous updates

If you are a project or group that must be simple to reach however, they cannot have meeting that is held in person A majority of the tools that are listed here are excellent, Basecamp in particular is fantastic, however Slack takes the cake on this list.

At my old workplace there was a system where each team got the Slack channel of their choice in which stand-up meetings could be held that were asynchronous as well as company-wide channels for more general discussion. However, I don't have access to that particular Slack workspace anymore, but I do have Slack workspaces that I utilize in a similar way:

For more complex or sensitive data

Like Laura stated, specific varieties of information requires an individual note. There's no reason to preserve information that becomes misunderstood, or hidden in the chaos of blog entries and other projects. In order to prevent that, you'll need to utilize video. We are here to support you.

It is also you can monitor the number of people who have watching your video, and also to collaborate on the comment section.

It's often difficult to determine the exact software or process to employ as each team has its own unique approach therefore it's useful to try out the process in the beginning and not be afraid to move on if one isn't working for you.

The remote playbook: etiquette when meetings take place online

The last topic we'll cover in this guide is the etiquette of meetings. Certain elements may be common to those who have been in the past on topics previously, but it's worth summarizing exactly what common rules of conduct for remote meetings are.

Asynchronous meetings are a common experience. We've been through many Zoom meetings that have taught us these general guidelines (and still accidentally break them):

• Make sure you're not in a muted state when speaking.
• Choose a peaceful spot where the other guests can focus only on you (not the washer behind).
• Check out the features you wish to implement before deciding to avoid wasting time figuring it out at the time of your meeting.

However, the situation is somewhat different when you consider Asynchronous gatherings. The manner of conduct may differ based on manner of communication and the method of communicating.

For channels that use texts (e.g. Notion, Slack etc.)

• Make sure you're posting relevant content on the correct channel, thread/page (or in case you're discussing something of interest, provide a link to the thread or page).
• You shouldn't view it as an email. It's important to accept a message or project instead of sending it to your inbox (in Slack you can mark the message using an emoticon! ).
• Be aware that each person has individual lives. Asynchronous messages can be easy to forget that you're performing the same task as you. Make sure that someone is connected prior to sending a push message to them.

Asynchronous video calls

• Make sure your camera and microphone is good enough for other people to understand what you're talking about.
• Make a point that you want to impart to the world -- who would like to watch a video and not learn anything new.

These are not a set of general rules. The business you work for could have specific guidelines regarding communication with each other, and which tools to use. That's why it is important to you should keep these principles in mind while learning the basics or making these guidelines.

You can get off to an excellent start with online meeting

As with many relationships communicating effectively is an essential element to a productive day-to-day operation but, it doesn't necessarily need to be all the time.

Remote meetings that are synchronous can aid in having better conversations, connect all of your colleagues, as well as create an environment that is open (since communications that are synchronously conducted are typically recorded). If you're contemplating switching to asynchronous meetings, you ought to consider trying various strategies to find out what works best for your needs.

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