I didn’t realize it at the time but I was a hybrid presenter before it was popular. It was 2013 and my client wanted me to deliver a presentation program for their sales people. The headquarters were in NY and there were a number of satellite offices. I appeared in their NY studio to prepare in advance. Once all the equipment was working, we went live. There was a studio audience, production engineers, and representatives from marketing who were communicating and managing the chat from their laptop. Once I began speaking I met my first challenge. Where do I look? I started by looking at the audience in front of me. But then I would look up at the camera to include the remote sites. Then I’d look at the audience. Up and down. Up and down. The feedback was positive except for comments about my unfocused eye contact.
Speaking in a hybrid world will require a learning curve. Hybrid presentations are more difficult than in person or virtual meetings. The presenter needs to combine physical platform skills with virtual presentation, and facilitation skills. Here are some tips to be successful as a hybrid speaker.
1. Set the stage. This begins with setting the right tone and expectations. It means valuing remote participants as well as the people in the room. Embrace the hybrid experience and express excitement. Remote audiences are at a disadvantage because they miss the subtle nonverbals that are not always evident on screen. If you can send an email greeting to participants it will help build rapport before the meeting. An email video of you creates a more personal connection. One free email video program is www.loom.com
2. Plan and check the equipment. Decide on the best platform for the type of meeting and the tools you’ll need. Appoint or hire a producer to handle the technology. The facilitator and meeting participants need to be free to do what they do best. One option is to have a large screen so the in person group can see the online participants. Another option is to ask in person participants to bring laptops so that they are seeing and speaking directly to the remote venues. Require all cameras to be on.
3. Make an eye connection. The challenge is where to look when you host a hybrid event. Start by looking directly into the camera. You want to draw in the remote audience. Direct eye contact communicates that they’re important. Once you’ve established contact, begin to look at individuals in the room. Vary your eye contact with people in the room to people on the screen to be inclusive.
4. Move strategically. Don’t stand in one place and lecture. To keep the energy high, move your body. Walk in close to speak to the camera. Then move back to talk to the room. Use the walk-stop-talk technique. Take a few steps in one direction, plant yourself, deliver your point. Don’t pace. Use movement purposefully. Working the room in this manner will include everybody, create change, and maintain attention.
5. Engage emotionally. Plan in your notes when you will talk directly to remote participants. For example, you can say, “Let’s hear from the West Coast. Please unmute your microphone.”
This should not be an afterthought. Include regular check-ins so the people dialing in feel included. Spotlight a couple of remote participants so that they can be highlighted and seen by the group. When doing small group activities, combine remote attendees with in person participants in break out rooms to collaborate. Mixed groups will make them feel more engaged if there is one cohesive classroom instead of an us vs them situation. In order to make your presentations and meetings more engaging. Slido is the ultimate Q&A tool that creates a conversation between you and your audience. http://www.slido.com
6. Less is more. The talking head is dead. Keep presentations brief or you will lose the attention of the group. Keep the timing tight to get the momentum going. Change up activities and slides often to spark interest. Speak in soundbites. Shorter bursts of learning and content are more effective in hybrid meetings.
Hybrid events require a lot of coordination, excellent timing, and skill. Hybrid meetings and presentations will be a mainstay of the workplace. It’s worth the time and effort to master this medium.