Guest article by Kassy LaBorie and Tom Stone
One of the biggest mistakes leaders make in an online event is failing to leave enough time to properly bring the session to a close using a memorable wrap-up activity. Closing activities leave a lasting impression for virtual participants—one that ensures time spent in the event was well worth it. The activities in our book engage participants to contribute their own ideas for taking the information and skills they’ve learned in the online event into their own environments.
That said, there is an elephant in the online room: the proliferation of online events and the technology that makes them possible seems to have brought an end to the concept of being “on time.” Starting and ending a virtual meeting on time is not the norm for a variety of reasons—from technical challenges at the beginning to long lectures from presenters to the lack of attendee participation. As such, the priority has moved from closing well and on time to “I’ve survived! Let’s get out of here as fast as possible.”
We need to change this mindset. To be truly successful, your live online training or meeting should include time to thoughtfully close with proper debriefings, wrap-up comments, and action items.
Here are five surefire ways to end a meeting, webinar, and live online training on time and with impact:
- Start on time. Do not wait to start until all participants arrive. Late participants don’t want to be singled out for being late—they can catch up. Give participants the benefit of the doubt and remember we all lead busy lives and always intend to be on time. Remember, you have to start on time to end on time.
- Control the tangents. Once participants start to discuss the material, it can be a challenge to figure out how much time to allow them to continue. Pay close attention to the conversations. Guide them on topic and to action with efficiency. End any tangents and schedule them for another time, perhaps on asynchronous discussion boards or in a follow-up meeting.
- Watch the clock. Have a designated timekeeper. Plan your time in advance and pay attention to how long it takes to make each point. If some take too long, find a more efficient way to say it the next time.
- Plan the activities. Know that as participants actually do your designed activities the timing will probably change. Always stay alert by listening to participants’ needs. They expect feedback with openness and flexibility, but they also won’t want the session to run past the scheduled end time.
- Examine the process. If your online event does not end on time, review why it ran long. Then use that information to improve the next one. Reflect on the event, watch the recording, take notes, and review them. What went well? What can be improved? Take action.
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About The Authors:
Kassy LaBorie is founder and principal consultant at Kassy Consulting, LLC (www.kassyconsulting.com). Tom Stone is a senior research analyst at i4cp, the Institute for Corporate Productivity (www.i4cp.com). They are co-authors of the new book, Interact And Engage! 75+ Activities for Virtual Training, Meetings, and Webinars.
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