For many of us, virtual coaching and mentoring are effective. People like the convenience of a virtual meeting because we can more easily fit it into our busy schedules since we don't have to drive to the exact location. Sessions are often concentrated and shorter.
Virtual mentorship may also have additional benefits. Mentees may feel more equal with the mentor via a video conversation than they would in a face-to-face encounter since power distance is less pronounced. Some people are more prone to opening up on a video call rather than in a face-to-face meeting.
When meeting digitally, establishing rapport might be more challenging, so you need to be aware of this. It can be beneficial if you can arrange one in-person encounter. Be prepared to invest more time in establishing and preserving the relationship.
This post will give you 12 straightforward yet useful recommendations from our virtual presentation experts to assist you in not only producing entertaining virtual meetings but also boosting your executive presence and self-assurance in a virtual setting.
1. Planning
As with physical meetings, preparation is essential to having a successful mentoring talk. A good mentoring meeting begins before the meeting itself. The agenda must be sent to the mentor no later than a few days before the meeting. By doing so, the mentor can get ready for the issues the mentee wishes to focus on, think through the meeting, and even jot down any questions or themes they believe are crucial to the mentee's education. As a result, both the mentor and the mentee must always prepare for their sessions, however, the mentee's preparation will usually take longer.
2. Verify that your connection is reliable
Decide on a platform and stick to it. There are several free platforms on the market, but we always advise creating a profile that is password-protected. Use a laptop or computer rather than a tablet or smartphone, which may have fewer features. Have a headset on hand.
It is a good idea to test your connection, sound, and camera before the meeting to make sure everything is in working order. Ensure that your face is level with the camera's lens and that the picture is about in the center of the screen. Make sure you have the right lighting.
It's crucial to choose the best location for the meeting, preferably somewhere enclosed with less background noise. At the same time, it's crucial that you find a seat where you may discuss intimate and delicate matters in secret.
3. Make positions and responsibilities clear
According to our definition of mentorship, the mentee is responsible for learning, and the mentor is accountable for the process and for setting up a supportive environment for growth. The expectations that each party has of the other should be discussed between the mentor and mentee. Finding out who calls who is crucial when the mentoring dialogue takes place electronically, for instance when the meeting begins or if the connection breaks down during the meeting.
4. Be on time
Be sure to arrive prepared and adjourn the meeting at the scheduled time. 15 minutes prior to the meeting, mentally get ready. Open the meeting platform 5 minutes beforehand to make sure the technology is functional. Examine your microphone and camera. Make sure to notify the host of the meeting as soon as you know you will be running late.
5. Aesthetic effects
Physical meetings are less intense than virtual ones. It is crucial to mix up the meeting, for instance by incorporating visual aids. For drawing or making notes about a particular topic, think about using a virtual whiteboard. Display the assignment using screen sharing (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.).
6. Be aware of your body language
Body language is important for good communication during a virtual meeting. Virtual meetings run the risk of losing many details that are crucial in real meetings. In a virtual meeting, presence is one of the most crucial but also most challenging things to demonstrate. You can demonstrate your presence during a virtual meeting by looking into the camera. The other person will feel as though you are looking into their eyes, which is crucial throughout a conversation.
We must actively use the parts of our bodies that can be seen in virtual meetings, namely our heads and hands. Examples include smiling, nodding, or giving the thumbs-up.
You can sometimes listen more intently during virtual meetings without the use of video. Finding a proper balance between the usage of the camera, visual aids, and sound is crucial.
7. Quiet is beneficial
It might be challenging to manage the pauses that naturally occur in chats while leading effective virtual meetings.
Even if it may seem uncomfortable and awkward, there is value in silence because it makes room for thought and introspection. It is best to take a few more breaths before responding. By doing this, you can avoid appearing to be an interruption.
8. Allow space for immersion
It's crucial to proactively provide room for reflection in addition to the natural stillness that occurs during mentor meetings. Declare out loud that you need to take a brief break and go for a 5-minute walk or grab a new cup of coffee. Giving the mentor and mentee time to take notes during the discussion can also be a good idea. It can be challenging to focus while listening while writing. Make it a practice to take brief pauses for thinking throughout the talk.
9. You might want to videotape the conversation
When conducting a post-meeting self-evaluation, it can be helpful for both the mentor and the mentee to listen through the conversation that was recorded. This is also a good method to remember what was said and what was learned. It is crucial that both parties consent to the recording and establish clear rules for its storage and eventual deletion.
10. Assess the mentorship session
Evaluations and follow-up are essential components of a productive mentoring process. Making time for reflection is equally as vital as taking breaks during mentoring sessions. It's crucial to evaluate the discussion, advancement, and outcomes at the end of the mentoring session.
Before the meeting concludes, don't forget to make a new appointment.
It might be a good idea to write a follow-up email outlining the major points of the mentoring meeting and what the mentee should focus on before the next meeting as a way to follow up on the mentoring meeting and evaluation.
11. Set a Good Example
Consider: What sets a strong team of achievers apart from a weak one? The leader who sets an example is the solution. An astute leader illuminates the road to handle success, failure, and criticism for the team through his or her actions and behavior. When a mentor and mentee relationship exists, the same nomenclature is used. A virtual mentor must model specific behaviors and conduct himself in a way that offers insights into the organization's culture, work ethics, and ideals.
The goal of mentoring is to develop capable, dependable, trustworthy, and accountable future leaders. Through leading effective virtual meetings, a virtual mentor can motivate mentees to take initiative, motivate them to assume responsibility, and push them beyond their comfort zones to step into leadership roles.
12. Be open to digital technology
Tech-enabled companies/individuals to concentrate on leading effective virtual meetings by utilizing a number of tools that provide a comprehensive and open environment for learning and interaction. By improving learners' attention spans and keeping them engaged in the sessions through regular check-ins and interactions, these tools aid in enhancing the learning impact. These tools provide users with engaging and dynamic learning opportunities since they are gamified and artificially intelligent.
To capture the learners' full attention, a virtual mentor should become familiar with digital tools and design the sessions around them.
Conclusion
There are undoubtedly some drawbacks to virtual mentoring, such as the absence of social indicators that would otherwise allow mentors to gauge how involved and engaged participants are. However, successful outcomes from a mentoring program can be achieved with a clear approach and a solid grasp of the mentor-mentee connection. Furthermore, a virtual mentor can become more successful at getting the participants to produce the necessary results by adhering to the offered actionable advice.
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