The definitive guide for Asynchronous Meetings and Remote Communications |

Prior to the shift to working remotely, I used to work in the remote team of an online bank. We were always trying out different kinds of remote meetings that mixed which generally ran easily.

It's however not an simple to increase the efficiency of your meetings or to ensure that you have a good communications in remote meetings or even decide what type of remote meetings to host in the first place.

This document (based upon some of the research conducted and personal experiences) will assist you in understanding the various kinds of meetings that can be conducted remotely, and how to effectively conduct them with some tips and tricks selecting the best equipment for your needs, as well as the common rules for virtual meeting conduct.

Types of remote meetings

You might not have given the idea much thought prior to now, but there are actually numerous types of remote meetings (and chances are you're already somewhat familiar with the concept). Thanks to the advancement of technology in this area We've now been able communicate with remote workers and other team members through one of the main methods or even the combination of these methods!

Teleconferencing

From all kinds of remote meetings that we'll be talking about here, teleconferencing is possibly the oldest and most tested method. Because it is a type of phone that only uses audio and teleconferencing technology is a lot older and less complicated than those on the list.

It is basically that the hosting host will be on the line' at an exact time for the meeting when the other members of the team will dial into' the meeting using a specific phone number. This kind of meeting is best suited for small groups of people -- not having the ability to view the other members could be confusing if multiple people talk simultaneously.

Video conferencing

Since the onset of a specific pandemic around 2020 Video conferencing has now become an essential part aspects of our lives, thanks to the likes of Zoom meetings, as well as Microsoft Teams.

Video meetings (conferences) have a similar model to teleconferencing in the sense that hosts host an actual-time conference where attendees 'dial in' using an online link or telephone number. What makes them different however, is the ability to be able to see one another and utilize software to make the video conference more efficient and more engaging.

Web conferencing

The third and final most frequent type of virtual meetings is web-based conferencing. It's easy to confuse this type of meeting with video conferencing, but there's a distinct differenceWeb conferences are typically used for virtual events (like all-hands gatherings) or online training or for project collaboration, where the meeting has an element of practicality to it.

Naturally, this works well for larger-scale events or large-scale business meetings. They could be organized in the same way to a video conference but it may also need pre-registration or ticketed attendance.

For a further layer of various meeting formats Additionally, you have the option to'sync meetings' and 'async.

What is an asynchronous meeting?

Meetings in Asynch are a form of interaction that isn't in real-time and also doesn't typically require immediate responses.

Synchronous communication vs asynchronous communication

In the digital banking job I previously mentioned the team worked extremely difficult to ensure that the remote employees felt welcome as well as part of the decision-making process and status updates, check-ins, and team-building events. In order to achieve this, they required both synchronous and asynchronous gatherings, however each of them has advantages and disadvantages.

 Advantages of synchronous meeting:

• Most closely resembles in-person meetings.
• Instant feedback on actions things or discussion points.
• The ability to communicate in real time can help you exchange ideas more spontaneously.

 What's not so great:

• A lot of times it is possible to meet people who are naturally quiet or introverted, but struggle to engage.
• On the other hand when everybody has something to talk about, the gathering will quickly be a chaotic swarm of people talking in a snarky manner.
• It is possible to experience technology delay or network issues when you need it the most.

 Benefits of asynchronous meetings:

• There's no obligation to make a statement immediately, everyone gets a chance for the voice of their choice to be heard.
• It was easier to arrange appropriate times for meetings with globally distributed or night group members on shifts (something my previous workplace benefited hugely from).

 What's not great about HTML0:

• According to Buffer's 2020 state of Remote Work report 20 percent of those who participated stated that loneliness was their most significant problem (which I am also able to attest) Sync meetings provide your chance to 'see' other people, so moving to asynchronous communication can contribute to feelings of isolation.
• In the event that an immediate response isn't needed, sometimes employees may not respond or follow up in the first place.
• One of the main issues with remote working according to Statista and also applicable to meetings that are async (since they can be in and out throughout the day) is that it's not possible to 'unplug'.

In the end, looking at both the advantages and disadvantages, there's no doubt that it's about choosing the right format for the occasion instead of choosing one of the extremes. However, I'm going to concentrate a bit more on the async meetings beginning now (since they're less recognized).

How do you run a successful asynchronous meeting

So now you know what kinds of remote meetings are and the different options for how to run these, but how do you actually run an online meeting? It's an issue if you're only used to having real-time meetings.

Because I don't have personal experience with conducting meetings (only being a participant in them) I reached out to a handful of experts, including a former Project Manager turned freelance writer, Laura Bosco, about what they believed made effective and product asynchronous meetings, here's what she said:

 "--the nature and context of the async message were huge factors for me and are still a major factor when I work with my clients.

Context: Some types of announcements, feedback or even questions can be more sensitive or easy to misinterpret. In these cases, video is superior to text since the other person can hear the tone of your voice as well as look at your face. It reduces misperceptions and relationships damage.

Format: Big fan of BLUF (bottom-line-up-front) in most written comms. For one, it's much more effective. If your request is concise and concise, you're more likely to get what you're looking for. For another, it's an opportunity to demonstrate compassion towards the person receiving. It shows gratitude for their time as well as the every day influx of messages.

 Also, text formatting. Bullets, headers, bold or italics when you are making important requests...these aren't meant to degrade the reader. They help them digest the message ."

Laura isn't alone who believes that providing context is an effective method to make use of async communications. Michael Steele, CEO of Flywheel Digital (a remote first technical marketing agency) and a big fan of using Notion, Google Docs, and Slack to build their tech stack. He also said:

 "A major factor in achieving success when it comes to synchronous communications, which includes both clients and staff, is providing context. Everyone involved must know what the goals are and the most recent developments or events worth noting, and an easy access to the foundational documents like strategies such as marketing personas, strategies, and performance reports.

 With no context for synchronous communications, miscommunications often arise and time is spent repairing mistakes and making revisions that could have been easily avoided with the right details available from the very beginning."

In terms of the actual aspect of running the meetings, the founder of ScrapingBee (a 100% remote company) Kevin Sahin says that in addition to having short, real-time meetings that are facilitated with memos written in Notion, they also use Slack:

"Slack can be used as asynchronously as it uses Slack status to know if a co-worker can be reached for a phone call or not. When we write an email within Slack it's not expected to receive to receive a response immediately. That's what the purpose of it. In general, our philosophy is to select the right software for the task."

For an effective asynchronous meeting it is essential to ensure that you're using the tools properly, giving context, as well as the issues you're addressing are done so as to be simple and easy to handle.

9 tips to plan and execute the perfect remote meeting

If your meeting via remote is synchronous or not however, there are a couple of general tips that can ensure that they run smoothly. These tips are derived from existing research however others stem from experience. They will be discussed in a before, during, and after arrangement for people who favor real-time. However, the content of these tips can be applied to meetings that are async.

 Before the meeting:

1. Be sure that only those who are essential are allowed to attend. If you overcrowd an online meeting, whether that's an online video conference or Slack channel or a video conference, details can rapidly be lost, and fewer participants will be able to actively participate.
   
2. Create a clear schedule. You can set agendas that are either in real time or async meeting in the software of your choice, when I was working in the bank, we developed Notion templates using fill-in areas like issues we're facing and actions points.
   
3. Create meeting guidelines. Laura also mentioned one interesting method she prefers to employ, which is to create and share "how to collaborate alongside me" document ( like this one) in order to set standards and expectations for meetings and other communication.

 At the time of the conference:

1. Begin and end within the timeframe. This point is especially true for real-time remote meetings, there's not anything worse than showing up to a meeting late or running out of time. People's time is precious. It's also true for meetings that are scheduled in async. If you don't respond quickly enough in a timely manner, the information might either get lost or other dates could get lost.
   
2. Keep it short. Similar to the previous point, there's not much use in an hour-long real-time meeting where you're able to make all the points you need to make using async communications or shorter meetings. In terms of the async method, try to avoid writing massive walls of text or long gaps in videos recorded.
   
3. Be sure that everyone can be heard or recognized. As I mentioned in the past, not all people have the temperament that allows them to express their opinion in live discussions, and async communications gives those people the opportunity to speak up. As the manager or as a host, it's still important to be vigilant about participants' participation.

 Following the session:

1. Receive feedback from your attendees. If you're experimenting using different kinds of events, it's crucial to get feedback from the participants so you can find the things that aren't working regarding the communication style and the channel. Different software may work better in different situations.
   
2. Offer a channel of communication for follow-ups. Generally speaking, it's best to create a way to communicate or a virtual area where people can offer ad-hoc points about the conference or provide updates on action points without clogging with meetings.
   

So you might be wondering at this point, "those tips are all nice and right But what's the deal with programs?", this next section will help you.

Software for remote meetings

Naturally, one of the most important considerations when conducting remote meetings of any type is to ensure that you're using the correct technology to begin with. Naturally, for synchronous meetings, well-known video conferencing services like Zoom, Microsoft Teams/Skype, and Google Meet do the trick pretty well. However, the process is slightly different with meeting that are async.

A few of the most well-known asynchronous meeting software (which also happen to be mostly project management tools) as well as some that are already mentioned are:

•   Slack
•   Trello
•   Google Docs
•   Asana
•   Notion
•   Basecamp
• If you're a team of devs, Gitlab or Github is a good option.

Choosing the right tool to host your virtual meetings

Most of the collaboration tools I've mentioned above are purely written in text or used to communicate, while others can be a mix of text, image, or video. Also, as Laura stated previously, context and design is crucial.

 For simple project updates

If you're trying for a way to get your team members up to current on what the project's status is, tools like Trello, Asana, and Notion are excellent for this. For example, I (and my old office) utilize Notion "boards" to give a quick overview of the status of projects as well as diving in to see comments:

It is possible to create a similar 'board' style organization in each of the applications mentioned above.

 For continuous updates

If your group or project needs to be easy to get in touch with but doesn't require daily meetings in person, most of the tools discussed are acceptable, Basecamp in particular is fantastic, but Slack is the best in this one.

In my previous workplace, every team was given an Slack channel that would be able to communicate asynchronously, while there were also corporate channels that provided more general info. However, I don't have access to the specific Slack workspace any more, but I do have a few Slack workspaces I use in a similar way:

 For more complex or sensitive information

As Laura mentioned, some kinds of information require a personal touch. There is no need to keep information that either gets misunderstood or lost among all the blog posts and other projects. For that, you'll want to utilize video. And will be able to count on us.

In addition as an added bonus, you can monitor who's watched the video, and also participate in the comments.

It's often difficult to determine which software or method to use since every team is different, therefore it's worth experimenting early on and being prepared to change your mind if something does not work out as you would like it to.

The remote playbook: etiquette for meetings that take place online

The last topic we're going go over in this book is the etiquette of meetings. Some of the concepts will be familiar considering our previous discussions However, it's worthwhile to outline exactly what common remote meeting etiquette looks as.

For synchronous meetings, we've all had plenty of Zoom calls that taught us these general guidelines (and sometimes, we've erred in breaking them):

• Be sure to not be on mute when you're speaking.
• Find a quiet spot so other participants can concentrate on the conversation (not the washing machine that is that is running).
• Try out the features that you wish to use before you start so that you don't waste time trying to figure it out in the course of your session.

The situation, however, is somewhat different when you consider asynchronous meetings, and the etiquette can vary depending on the method or channel of the communication.

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

• Be sure to include relevant information in the right channel/thread/page (or when you're making reference to anything of importance, post the link to that thread or page).
• Don't treat it like emails. By that I mean acknowledge an email or even a task instead of leaving it to the inbox (in Slack, you can sign a message by using an emoji! ).
• Remember that everyone has their own lives. When using asynchronous communication, it's easy to forget you're not operating at the same time as you. Make sure that someone is online in advance of notifying them via push notifications.

 for synchronous video conferences

• Check that your microphone and camera are of good enough to allow people to be able to grasp what you're talking about.
• Do you have a clear message that you would like to pass on to other people -- nobody would like to watch an entire video without learning any new information.

These are just some general etiquette guidelines. The company you work for may have its specific rules of communication with each other and what tools to utilize. If so, keep these rules as you learn the ropes or establishing these rules.

Start off with a great beginning with online meetings

Like many relationships, effective communication is the most important factor in a successful business day However, it doesn't necessarily need to be real-time.

Asynchronous remote meetings will help you have more productive discussions, bring in more of your team members and create a sense of openness (since async comms are naturally recorded). If you're contemplating adopting a more asynchronous approach, consider experimenting with different options to discover the best solution for you.