Hey, it's Rachel Cook, your modern mentor.

Today, I thought we'd talk about some strategies you can use to make a hybrid meeting,

you know, the ones where some people are in the office and others are zooming in,

actually effective and impactful.

I've got a lot of ideas here, so I hope you're ready to jump in with me.

Remember the olden days when meetings happened in a room with people and snacks and tables?

And then remember when overnight, meetings suddenly went entirely virtual, and your pants and shoes took a hiatus?

And just when we thought things couldn't get any messier, we've put it all in a blender,

and now we're working in this clunky hybrid middle place.

With some team members back in the office while others are connecting from home,

so many people are wondering, how do we run a great meeting,

one that leaves everyone feeling included, engaged, and equally able to contribute.

So let's talk today about some simple, tactical strategies you can use to ensure that your

hybrid meetings are delivering both great experiences and great outcomes. It all begins with the

prep. A great hybrid meeting requires some thorough planning and consideration.

It won't happen by accident. So before you show up in the room, physical or virtual,

here are some factors you may want to give some thought to. First, start with purpose. Having a

clear sense of purpose of what you want this meeting to deliver is your foundation.

Do you need a decision to be made, a set of ideas to be generated?

Challenge yourself to really think this through.

Providing this clarity to your participants up front will enable them to show up

prepared to engage in the right conversation.

...