Effective Communication Styles: Get the Most out of Online Meetings

Online Meetings may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's undeniable that everyone must learn how to effectively navigate this new territory. While pandemic restrictions may be easing up, remote work setups are still here to stay as part of the new normal. By now, many professionals have already grown accustomed to joining virtual meetings a few times a week. 

Video conferencing enables employees to hold meetings in one virtual room in different physical locations. This arrangement allows staff members to stay safe while having meaningful, productive discussions.

While the practice offers benefits, it also poses several challenges. Read on to the discussion below about the struggles employees commonly face when joining meetings online and how video conferencing compares to traditional, in-person arrangements.  

The Drawbacks of Online Meetings

Online meetings are gatherings that happen virtually instead of physically. All participants enter the same meeting room, which usually belongs to the organizer. Popular tools include Google Meet, Zoom, Skype, and Microsoft Teams.

Virtual forums are typically more convenient and efficient than face-to-face meetings. However, technical problems such as internet connectivity issues, power outages, or untimely system reboots can sometimes keep online meetings from going smoothly. In these circumstances, a participant may be unable to join or unexpectedly get disconnected from the call.

There are also several privacy concerns introduced by video conferencing. While online meetings can be recorded, it's required to first ask for the consent of all attendees. That said, someone can still record a meeting discreetly using another device or an external tool. 

Furthermore, not every participant is working from home; some employees join meetings from public places like cafes or restaurants where nonemployees can overhear supposedly confidential details.

Additionally, remote work expectations usually don't match reality. For instance, instead of enjoying the flexibility of a work-from-home setup, some employees who live with their families struggle to find private, quiet areas where loud children and pets will not interrupt them. These disturbances can disrupt meetings and make it harder for participants to focus on work.

Lastly, schedule conflicts can occur, especially with meetings set without early notice. A staff member can be working on a task or have gone on a break only for a senior employee to send an invite for a meeting that will begin in 30 mins. These situations can be jarring and inconvenient, negatively affecting productivity. Also, unless employees check their emails constantly, they may miss updates on meetings, such as changes in schedule or cancellations.

Virtual vs. Traditional Meetings

Besides the drawbacks discussed above, online meetings may still have advantages over traditional arrangements. For instance, it's more convenient for employees working in large corporations who need to move floors to attend face-to-face meetings.

Moreover, to attend a meeting physically, staff members must clear a spot in their schedule for the day. In contrast, employees working from home can join a virtual session and turn off their cameras to listen while still working on small tasks or having a quick snack.

Employees can also wear comfortable clothes and ditch the power suits, which is a plus for many workers. Furthermore, participants in online meetings rarely need to worry about gestures like handshaking, which is especially beneficial for individuals who are not confident about their socializing skills.

Another great benefit is that virtual meetings can accommodate large numbers of attendees. With traditional meetings, the organizer must ensure that the venue has enough space to seat all participants. Google Meet and Zoom can handle up to 100 and 300 users, respectively, so the group size is rarely an issue.

4 Communication Styles at Work 

Each person has a distinct communication style, which is heavily influenced by their personality, upbringing, and, sometimes, educational background.

It is crucial to learn about the different communication styles and why people use them to succeed as a business. Accordingly, understanding these styles can be tricky in virtual meetings, especially for off-cam sessions that eliminate context clues like facial expressions and hand gestures.

In these situations, you'll need to rely on the tone of your voice and selection of words to express your ideas clearly. Adapting the right communication style can also help you be better understood and more attentive to what other participants are communicating.

Assertive

This communication style is deemed the most effective because it conveys confidence and credibility without employing manipulation and aggression.

Individuals using this style sound sure about their beliefs and convictions and can discuss their thoughts clearly. They also ensure their listeners do not feel disregarded and belittled by remaining composed, measured, and respectful.

While they can be persuasive, assertive communicators often seek consensus and compromise instead of pushing for their suggestions. Often, they innately have high self-esteem and communicate their needs while actively listening to others.

Passive

Also called the submissive communication style, this is a type of communication aimed at pleasing people. In attempts to avoid conflict and confrontation, passive communicators can be self-effacing.

This communication style has many negative impacts; it can lead someone to harbor anger and resentment because they cannot express their opinions and communicate their needs.

Moreover, a passive communicator will likely step back and allow assertive or aggressive individuals to dominate the discussion. Hence, their valuable ideas are seldom heard, and misunderstandings often occur.

Leaders and managers must identify passive communicators in their teams and help them become more confident and assertive. That said, passive communication can be effective in special circumstances, such as when handling customer complaints.

Aggressive

As the name suggests, the aggressive communication style can be combative, forceful, and threatening. Aggressive communicators often do whatever it takes to win and rarely consider the feelings of others. They like to take over discussions and act as if their ideas are more significant than anyone else's. 

This communication style can leave listeners feeling scared, intimated, and disrespected. Hence, listeners can respond negatively to an aggressive communicator, not because they disagree with the ideas or the statement is incorrect, but because the delivery of the message was hurtful and offensive.

This communication style is neither effective nor productive, and employees who often use this need to learn how to tone down their approach and control their emotions. A domineering attitude can cause conflict and prevent even a well-meaning person from building positive relationships in the workplace.

Passive-aggressive

As the name implies, this type of communication combines the characteristics of both a passive and aggressive communicator. An individual can use a passive approach and appear easy-going on the surface while being secretly aggressive.

An employee can yield to every discussion but taunt other participants by being condescending or sarcastic. Passive-aggressive communicators are likelier to incite gossip and start rumors than other communicators.

To become better communicators, passive-aggressive people must address their personal issues and determine what causes their frustration. They should also try to be more straightforward to avoid building resentment when they don't feel heard.

The Bottom Line 

The popularity of remote working arrangements will help change the business landscape in the next few years. More people can apply for jobs without needing to be near its headquarters. A significant change that many are still adjusting to is internal communication.  

Learning the four communication styles can help professionals become more attentive listeners and effective communicators. Once employees have mastered these communication styles, it's much easier for everyone to arrive at the same point while still being far apart.