Perhaps you are a seasoned veteran of online meetings. Maybe you love them, maybe you hate them. But did we ever learn how to participate in online meetings? Most of us didn't.

What should we expect from online meetings? Online meetings should be a good use of our time. They should not recant what we could have read or discovered on our own, or already know. Online meetings should allow for some participation, even if only near end, for confirmation.

So how do we participate in meetings in a way that improves productivity? Let's see.

• Prepare for the meeting - review the agenda, read the pre-meeting briefing materials, gather your questions.
• Prepare your space - arrange to minimize disruptions. No food, and if you will be on camera, minimize distracting background lighting.
• Test your technology - connect to the meeting early so you can test your microphone, speakers, and webcam.
• Participate - be seen using your webcam to show your active participation.
• Be heard - but only when appropriate. Stay on mute until it's your turn to talk to minimize background noise.
• Share the air time - you may have lots of good ideas, but remember to share the air time. Others need a chance to speak too.
• Share new ideas - refrain from echoing what others may have already said to maximize productivity.
• Refrain from audible cues that take the focus of the audio away from the person speaking. In-person, it's not overly distracting for someone to say, "Hmm", "Uh-huh", "right", etc. But in a web meeting, it often takes the audio focus away from the person speaking, which causes a disruption for the other listeners because they will hear you instead of the speaker.
• Use the meeting tools available in the app you are using - such as the Chat tool, or 'Raise Your Hand' button, to interact with the speaker without taking air time.
• Be mindful of the agenda and the time. Ensuring the effective use of time is everyone's job.

Using these tips to participating in meetings can boost productivity and help folks enjoy online meetings. Have some more ideas to share? Please comment below!