That’s an important lesson from the early days of the pandemic: assume you’ll get zero reaction from the group, so set up your questions/requests/etc. in such a way that a non-response gives you the answer you want.
“Okay I’m getting ready to start here, speak up if you can’t see my screen.”
“I’m setting our target completion date for next Thursday. Anyone have any issues meeting that deadline?”
“This new wrinkle seems like something that is mostly within the area of expertise of Bob’s team, so I’m going to ask that they resolve it before our next meeting. Bob, do you have any issues with adding that to your list?”
Only thing I do differently is throw that “Bob” at the start of the phrase instead of the end. Hearing your name triggers your brain to focus, so start with "Bob, let me know if you have an issue with this… Since XYZ is in your team’s area of expertise I’m asking that you resolve it by… "
Saves a lot of time and embarrassment on the “sorry, I was multitasking, can you repeat that?”
Oh god this. The number of times somebody says my name after the end of a long monologue is too damn high.
Meetings are times when we’re doing double work—sitting on the meeting, and actually doing stuff. Don’t expect me to give you my full attention, you know full well that I’m working on things more important than you.
“Let me know if you can’t see my screen or hear me, or if I haven’t joined the call, or if you need me to be somewhere else than in this small cabin with no internet, electricity or running water a four days’ hike from the nearest trailhead”
Jokes on you, I just say
“I’m gonna assume everyone can see my screen… silence is golden”
That’s an important lesson from the early days of the pandemic: assume you’ll get zero reaction from the group, so set up your questions/requests/etc. in such a way that a non-response gives you the answer you want.
“Okay I’m getting ready to start here, speak up if you can’t see my screen.”
“I’m setting our target completion date for next Thursday. Anyone have any issues meeting that deadline?”
“This new wrinkle seems like something that is mostly within the area of expertise of Bob’s team, so I’m going to ask that they resolve it before our next meeting. Bob, do you have any issues with adding that to your list?”
Only thing I do differently is throw that “Bob” at the start of the phrase instead of the end. Hearing your name triggers your brain to focus, so start with "Bob, let me know if you have an issue with this… Since XYZ is in your team’s area of expertise I’m asking that you resolve it by… "
Saves a lot of time and embarrassment on the “sorry, I was multitasking, can you repeat that?”
Great suggestion!
Oh god this. The number of times somebody says my name after the end of a long monologue is too damn high.
Meetings are times when we’re doing double work—sitting on the meeting, and actually doing stuff. Don’t expect me to give you my full attention, you know full well that I’m working on things more important than you.
Works great as long as you’re not the one on mute.
“Let me know if you can’t see my screen or hear me, or if I haven’t joined the call, or if you need me to be somewhere else than in this small cabin with no internet, electricity or running water a four days’ hike from the nearest trailhead”
(Short for “The joke is on you”.)
I feel like I should have known that but somehow never connected the dots.