Free AI web copilot to create summaries, insights and extended knowledge, download it at here

Abstract

ub do to move meetings online and make them go smoothly</i>?</p><h1 id="2e37">8 Steps To Online Meeting Success for Toastmasters Clubs</h1><h1 id="55bb">1 — Get the word out in advance</h1><p id="d176">One of our members wakes up at 4:30am to drive to our 7am meetings. We are a dedicated group! However, even the most loyal member may need extra encouragement when faced with going online.</p><p id="278f">Let your members know how you’ll be meeting. Include an RSVP with your weekly agenda email and club update. Provide step-by-step instructions for joining the conference. Reach out by phone to anyone who may need extra assistance. Offer trial meetings in advance to help members practice accessing video and audio functions.</p><h1 id="0539">2 — Ask everyone to arrive early</h1><p id="fff6">One of the greatest benefits of online meetings is freedom from traffic! Why not use the 10–15 minutes of that travel time to show up early? This gives participants a chance to get their computers or other devices fully booted. You get a built-in buffer for any delays accessing links, downloading apps, and/or entering the meeting. And there’s more time available for troubleshooting. Because. It’s tech. Things happen.</p><h1 id="8c67">3 — Work together as a team</h1><p id="db68">This past Monday, I was grateful for leaders who demonstrated patience and supported fellow members as they navigated devices and online software. While I frequently use <a href="https://zoom.us/">Zoom</a> and other conferencing software on my desktop and laptop, I don’t use iPhones and iPads. Fortunately, an iPhone-friendly club member was able to offer immediate troubleshooting support. Your strength is in your community.</p><h1 id="bc74">4 — Ask participants to mute themselves when not speaking</h1><p id="a29e">Working and conferencing at home <i>will</i> bring the inevitable sound of blenders, kids, and barking dogs to your meeting. Keep the noise to a minimum by asking participants to remain muted when not speaking. You’ll show respect for and be less likely to distract your fellow speakers.</p><h1 id="1446">5 — Encourage participants to wear earbuds or headphones</h1><p id="1b7a">Wearing earbuds or headphones reduces extra noise and f

Options

eedback, so everyone can hear more clearly. Plugging in also enables better quality recordings.</p><h1 id="526f">6 — Keep your eye on the timer</h1><p id="77bb">It’s easy to lose track of time when your meeting timer disappears from your screen or uses hard-to-see signals. Ask your timer to hold bright green, yellow, and red objects or cards up to the camera at the designated intervals. Check to make sure the lighting is adequate. Look for the signals when you speak. And bring your own timing device to the meeting as backup — especially if you’re screen sharing and there’s a chance your presentation slides will block out the time on your screen display.</p><h1 id="6d3e">7 — Create a Table Topics survey</h1><p id="271b">In the absence of paper ballots, you’ll need a way to select your Table Topics winner anonymously. If you’re on Zoom, have the Zoom admin create a poll and share the results in an announcement (keep the poll results private). You can also create a simple Google Form with a single question: “Select your first choice for today’s Table Topics winner”. List participants as answers. Share a link to the Form in the comments and allow a couple of minutes for voting before announcing the winner. The back end of the form delivers automatic results, complete with a pie chart. As in the poll, remember to share only the name of the winner (not the results).</p><h1 id="1502">8 — Celebrate!</h1><p id="587b">Even online, you can offer applause, present awards, and announce new events … It just might look a little bit different. Your club members may choose, as ours did, to stay muted, so applause becomes exclusively visual. Dream up a crazy-big graphic to say “Congratulations” for completing a level, placing in a contest, or winning Table Topics. Don’t know where to start? How about designing a presentation-sized slide on <a href="http://www.canva.com">Canva</a>, using their free templates and images?</p><h1 id="a8ff">Conclusion</h1><p id="7442">Finally, as worldwide events change at a surreal pace, let’s work to support each other as a community. The skills we continue to develop through these difficult times will enable us to thrive in the connected workplace of the future.</p></article></body>

8 Steps to a Successful Remote Meeting — How to Move Your Toastmasters Club Online

Thinking about moving your Toastmasters club online? Yesterday, V.O.I.C.E.S. of Williamsburg took the plunge with SUCCESS! Keep reading to discover how your club can quickly and effectively do this too.

How can we stay connected, energized, and growing as individuals, communities, and Toastmasters clubs when we can’t meet in person?

For V.O.I.C.E.S. of Williamsburg in District 66, the answer is remote conferencing.

As a Copywriter, I already live and work online with clients all over the globe. With more and more club professionals working and conferencing remotely, moving meetings to Zoom conferencing was the perfect solution when we couldn’t meet onsite.

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

Club members facing possible quarantine and isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic connected face-to-face with colleagues in real time. We thrive when we continue to support and encourage each other, develop skills, and share new ideas!

In the early weeks, we shared information and resources supporting community health and safety. One member presented a speech titled the “New Normal.” She offered well-researched statistics and a good dose of humor to lighten our spirits.

Club members progressed in their educational programs and refined online presentation skills. Online Toastmasters meetings are the perfect place to practice presentation skills for webinars, online conferences, and internal video communications. We get immediate feedback on camera positioning, lighting, and use of graphic images. We continue to work on speech structure, filler words, gestures, and more. Toastmasters who meet online will be ready to meet the digital future head-on with purpose, professionalism, and pizazz.

So …. Now that we’ve established that going digital a clear win, what can your club do to move meetings online and make them go smoothly?

8 Steps To Online Meeting Success for Toastmasters Clubs

1 — Get the word out in advance

One of our members wakes up at 4:30am to drive to our 7am meetings. We are a dedicated group! However, even the most loyal member may need extra encouragement when faced with going online.

Let your members know how you’ll be meeting. Include an RSVP with your weekly agenda email and club update. Provide step-by-step instructions for joining the conference. Reach out by phone to anyone who may need extra assistance. Offer trial meetings in advance to help members practice accessing video and audio functions.

2 — Ask everyone to arrive early

One of the greatest benefits of online meetings is freedom from traffic! Why not use the 10–15 minutes of that travel time to show up early? This gives participants a chance to get their computers or other devices fully booted. You get a built-in buffer for any delays accessing links, downloading apps, and/or entering the meeting. And there’s more time available for troubleshooting. Because. It’s tech. Things happen.

3 — Work together as a team

This past Monday, I was grateful for leaders who demonstrated patience and supported fellow members as they navigated devices and online software. While I frequently use Zoom and other conferencing software on my desktop and laptop, I don’t use iPhones and iPads. Fortunately, an iPhone-friendly club member was able to offer immediate troubleshooting support. Your strength is in your community.

4 — Ask participants to mute themselves when not speaking

Working and conferencing at home will bring the inevitable sound of blenders, kids, and barking dogs to your meeting. Keep the noise to a minimum by asking participants to remain muted when not speaking. You’ll show respect for and be less likely to distract your fellow speakers.

5 — Encourage participants to wear earbuds or headphones

Wearing earbuds or headphones reduces extra noise and feedback, so everyone can hear more clearly. Plugging in also enables better quality recordings.

6 — Keep your eye on the timer

It’s easy to lose track of time when your meeting timer disappears from your screen or uses hard-to-see signals. Ask your timer to hold bright green, yellow, and red objects or cards up to the camera at the designated intervals. Check to make sure the lighting is adequate. Look for the signals when you speak. And bring your own timing device to the meeting as backup — especially if you’re screen sharing and there’s a chance your presentation slides will block out the time on your screen display.

7 — Create a Table Topics survey

In the absence of paper ballots, you’ll need a way to select your Table Topics winner anonymously. If you’re on Zoom, have the Zoom admin create a poll and share the results in an announcement (keep the poll results private). You can also create a simple Google Form with a single question: “Select your first choice for today’s Table Topics winner”. List participants as answers. Share a link to the Form in the comments and allow a couple of minutes for voting before announcing the winner. The back end of the form delivers automatic results, complete with a pie chart. As in the poll, remember to share only the name of the winner (not the results).

8 — Celebrate!

Even online, you can offer applause, present awards, and announce new events … It just might look a little bit different. Your club members may choose, as ours did, to stay muted, so applause becomes exclusively visual. Dream up a crazy-big graphic to say “Congratulations” for completing a level, placing in a contest, or winning Table Topics. Don’t know where to start? How about designing a presentation-sized slide on Canva, using their free templates and images?

Conclusion

Finally, as worldwide events change at a surreal pace, let’s work to support each other as a community. The skills we continue to develop through these difficult times will enable us to thrive in the connected workplace of the future.