The Bridge Seat - A Tip for Hybrid Meetings
Want your hybrid meetings to feel more connected?
Put the meeting leader in the seat closest to the screen showing remote participants’ video feeds.
When the leader sits next to the screen, everyone in the room naturally faces them and the remote participants. That makes it easier for everyone to easily spot raised hands (or raised eyebrows!) from those online, and bring them into the conversation.
What often happens instead? The leader takes the nearest open seat. The result? Half the room ends up with their backs to the screen and the meeting quickly splinters into two separate experiences.
Hybrid meetings need a bridge, and the seat closest to the screen is the anchor point between the conference room and the remote folks. Place your facilitator there, and the conversation stays connected end to end.
A simple seat swap can keep the whole room, virtual and physical, engaged in one shared conversation.
Leading a hybrid team can sometimes feel like you’re holding the cart together with duct tape. If that sounds familiar, I’d love to hear what’s been feeling unsustainable or bogged down.
Hi, I’m Annie and I work with leaders of remote and hybrid teams to strengthen their toolkits and their team culture, so they can lead with confidence no matter where their people are. If that’s you, I’d love to connect!
