Ever had to sit through one of those excruciatingly boring teleclasses, virtual meetings or webinars? You know the ones. You’ve got someone droning on and on and on until anything within sight serves as a worthy distraction. How about that speck of dust floating by? That’s interesting…look how it’s shaped. Look how it floats softly down from the acoustical tile ceiling. I wonder how much of that stuff ends up in my hair?
Every day, millions of people are subject to these telephone and web based forms of punishment with no choice but to remain glued to their chairs.
But a few hardy souls have found a way to mitigate this brain-numbing experience. And who can blame them? Once they reach the outer limits of what any human should be expected to bear…
…the emails begin…slowly at first, tentatively testing the commitment of like-minded captives.
Let’s listen in, shall we?
Setting: A virtual team meeting facilitated by an Expert who knows everything about anything.
Email Subject Line: AUHHHHHGG!
Victim 1: Are you paying attention?
Victim 2: I hope nobody hears me snoring; he’s putting me to sleep.
Victim 1: This guy’s outta control; he’s rambling all over the place! He just doesn’t know when to stop! “Does anyone know how the world was created? Here, let me tell you how it was done….”
Victim 2: UGH!!!!
Victim 1: Kill me now…I might just jump out of my 7th story window.
Person 2: If he doesn’t finish soon they’re gonna find me on the floor with a hari kari knife stuck in my gut.
Those poor, poor souls! How much more of this can people take? Is it possible they are not alone? Do others, in fact, face similar circumstances?
I’m betting the answer is a resounding “yes”! I’d bet this is one of the key contributors to employee turnover and a serious drop in engagement levels. But never fear, I also have ways to stem the tide of those who run screaming and clawing to be the first out the door…never, ever to return!
Employee Engagement Tips:
Tip 1: Cut the number and length of virtual meetings, teleclasses and webinars by 20%. Notice how their energy increases, attitudes improvement and productivity levels rise.
Tip 2: Pre-qualify anyone who presents virtual meetings against the “Scale of Boredom”. This scale ranges from a “10-Just Shoot Me” down to a “1-This is SO good, I’m Taking Notes and May Even Remember 20% of This Stuff!”
This is a good start. Perhaps we’ll get additional ideas submitted over the next week or so and I’ll promise to post the ones that aren’t “spam in disguise”.
Until next time, from your Colorado Communication Coach writing at 6711 ft. above sea level…
Laura B.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Great article! We need to endure these tenous boring events as moderators and operators. My oh my can some of them be boring, but you got to do what you got to do.
We have started offering private chat sessions and interactive polls on some of our webinars that are animated and light-heartedly leave the ‘prisoner’ thinking ‘When’s the next one going to appear?’. We noticed an increase in 15% for Q&A sessions, etc. I do have sympathy for the poor individuals (including myself) that endure these meetings on and on and on.
Nice article. I had some really negative feed back today about a virtual weekly telec I have to give. The feedback was that we don’t need these boring meetings by one of the 2 or 3 folks that actually talk/contribute/question during meeting (about 12 attend on average).
The meeting is a status meeting and to remind folks about tasks and the project. I diseminate information about new policy and ways we ahve to do things as a group.
I know they are boring and folks are wandering off….I would. I hate just doing all the talking.
I am using Netmeeting so i usally share out my desktop with MS project or ajenda. From time to time, I do put a ‘funny’ picture at the beginning of telec. Some have said they dial in just for the funny picture.
I need hlep in making the meetings better and not-boring.