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Breakout rooms with Zoom where participants move themselves 2
Nancy, thank you for the mention of QiqoChat! I'm an open space facilitator and software engineer in New York. I built Qiqo to make it easy to have online open space events using Zoom where participants can move themselves. Here's an example that you can test out. You'll see that you can have many online breakout rooms in one online event. Each breakout room has a separate Zoom meeting plus a collaborative document that you attach (ie Google Docs, Google Drawings, etc). People arrive at the main table and see the notes for the main table. They click the green button to open the Zoom meeting for the main table. When they want to move to a different breakout, they click the breakout table on the left and then they get a new green button to open the Zoom meeting for that table. I attached a screenshot to this email and I uploaded it here in case it gets removed from this email. The most difficult part of the user experience is that users will have Zoom open and a webpage open, and some users don't know how to view the webpage when Zoom is in front of it or to arrange Zoom & their browser on their screen side-by-side so they can see them both at the same time. Zoom charges us 1/2 cent per minute per person and we charge you 1 cent per minute per person (a 4-hour event would cost $2.40 per person). The first 2500 person-minutes are free. I'm happy to help answer any questions. On Qiqo, you create a "circle" for your group. Each circle has a calendar of events, so people can go back and see the events (and the notes) that happened before. Lucas Cioffi Founder, QiqoChat.com Scarsdale, NY 917-528-1831
Started by Lucas Cioffi @ · Most recent @
Moving Online in Pandemic #3: What to STOP doing! 3 #facilitation
Third in the series... https://fullcirc.com/2020/03/10/moving-online-in-pandemic-3-what-to-stop-doing/ This one explores how to figure out what to STOP doing so you don't move bad offline meeting habits online. We'll explore this in the Zoom gathering Thursday 7am PDT. Links in the calendar. /g/f4c-response/calendar #liberatingstructures
Started by Nancy White @ · Most recent @
Staying Connected Online in Times of Social Distancing with the World Cafe Community - Thu, 03/12/2020 #cal-notice
Staying Connected Online in Times of Social Distancing with the World Cafe Community When: Thursday, 12 March 2020 10:00am to 12:30pm (GMT-07:00) America/Los Angeles Where: Online, see link in description Organizer: michaela@... Description: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07egwqkt0ee5f8e4cd&llr=dq4emtbab
Started by [email protected] Calendar @
Zoom Gathering to Creatively Destroy Terrible Online Meeting Habits March 12 25
Nancy White is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Too many of us know that current online meeting practices can be painful. Take your terrible offline meeting and make it doubly terrible online. Let's do a TRIZ together in Zoom (http://www.liberatingstructures.com/6-making-space-with-triz/) and come up with a few things to STOP doing that might make a difference as Covid19 forces people online. 60 minutes. It would be great to get a sense of how many of us will be joining. Let me know? Topic: f4c - Let's Creatively Destruct Online Meetings! Time: Mar 12, 2020 08:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/2593792190 Meeting ID: 259 379 2190 One tap mobile +16699009128,,2593792190# US (San Jose) +16465588656,,2593792190# US (New York) Dial by your location +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) Meeting ID: 259 379 2190 Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/abOjkRiYhM
Started by Nancy White @ · Most recent @
Any Tech Support people out there?
Hi all, I am looking for a few good people who are experienced with Zoom and can provide tech support for participants. Not Tech Hosting - I don't mean running the platform (at least not in this case - though I do sometimes need that); in this case, I mean helping participants with their audio or video settings, helping them get into Zoom if they are having trouble, etc. You'll need to be familiar with the specifics of accessing Zoom through mobile devices as well as through a computer, so you can help people who are coming in that way. I have an immediate need for tech support help for online events using Zoom on April 3rd, 4th, and maybe 5th. If you have the required technical experience and know how to "play nicely" in teams, could you please contact me directly via amy@... and tell me what your background and interest is? Please include your usual rates (this would be paid work, of course). Thank you! Amy .o0o. Amy Lenzo | weDialogue Virtual Space, Real Engagement amy@... | www.wedialogue.com
Started by Amy Lenzo @
Using TRIZ to Creatively Destroy Bad Online Meeting Habits - Thu, 03/12/2020 6 #cal-notice
Using TRIZ to Creatively Destroy Bad Online Meeting Habits When: Thursday, 12 March 2020 8:00am to 9:00am (GMT-07:00) America/Los Angeles Where: Zoom Organizer: nancy.white@... Description: EXPERIMENT: Too many of us know that current online meeting practices can be painful. Take your terrible offline meeting and make it doubly terrible online. Let's do a TRIZ together in Zoom (http://www.liberatingstructures.com/6-making-space-with-triz/) and come up with a few things to STOP doing that might make a difference as Covid19 forces people online. 60 minutes. Nancy White is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: f4c - Let's Creatively Destruct Online Meetings! Time: Mar 12, 2020 08:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/2593792190 Meeting ID: 259 379 2190 One tap mobile +16699009128,,2593792190# US (San Jose) +16465588656,,2593792190# US (New York) Dial by your location +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) Meeting ID: 259 379 2190 Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/abOjkRiYhM
Started by [email protected] Calendar @ · Most recent @
Welcome and Getting Started/Tech Help 2
Someone asked about how to start a new thread. Someone else asked about how to stop seeing all the messages. Like a silly person I forgot to look at the links at the bottom of all messages which give you all this information. Poor technology stewardship on my part, eh? I put a screen shot here to make it easy. Of course mine reflects my email address. And starting new threads when you are starting a new topic is good email list hygiene. THANKS!
Started by Nancy White @ · Most recent @
Experimental Event: Ecocycle Online to Strategically move online - Fri, 03/13/2020 #cal-notice
Experimental Event: Ecocycle Online to Strategically move online When: Friday, 13 March 2020 7:00am to 8:00am (GMT-07:00) America/Los Angeles Where: Zoom Organizer: nancy.white@... Description: Ecocycle Online - How to assess and determine useful options for moving your meetings, work and events online in the time of Covid-19. This is an experimental session. Come prepared to learn, work and give feedback! ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Nancy White is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/634615080 Meeting ID: 634 615 080 One tap mobile +16699009128,,634615080# US (San Jose) +16465588656,,634615080# US (New York) Dial by your location +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) Meeting ID: 634 615 080 Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/abOjkRiYhM ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤
Started by [email protected] Calendar @
Keeping Up Appearances 3
Did you know that Zoom has backgrounds that will hide the reality of your home/office? This may provide some stress relief for those of us who are looking for a tidy corner to stream from. https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/11/21173608/zoom-video-conference-how-to-virtual-background-greenscreen
Started by Loretta Donovan @ · Most recent @
The Learning Revolution
Hi all, Not sure if these events have been mentioned here yet. https://learningrevolution.com/?mc_cid=3e35c05478&mc_eid=f36b401fc4 Steve Hargadan and teams have been successfully hosting these totally online conferences for many years. This year they offer a significant contribution to Learning Online with a two months duration of scheduled presentations and workshops. Welcome to the 2020 Learning Revolution online conference. This is an historic and unique event. Sessions will be held daily over the course of two months, all free to attend live. A calendar will list all sessions as they are scheduled on a rolling basis, and a daily email will give the final schedule for each day. The sessions will also be recorded. Access to the archive of recordings will be available for $99. The call for proposals opens on March 23rd. Presentation acceptances will be made on a rolling basis almost immediately, and presenters will be given the opportunity to choose a presentation day / time that is convenient to their own schedule. The conference is being hosted by Steve Hargadon's Learning Revolution Project. He has held over 100 online and physical learning events during the past 10 year, and has a combined audience membership of 160,000 educators, administrators, librarians, students, and parents. The technologies of the Internet and the Web are reshaping when, where, and from whom we learn--and even how we think about learning. As the boundaries of these learning worlds increasingly overlap, we believe these conversations will be critical to framing and preparing for the learning revolution starting to take place. Thank you for joining us.
Started by Carole McCulloch @
A shared Google calendar for all our trainings and events 2
Hi all, due to COVID-19 there are a tremendous number of online trainings and experiments run by facilitators right now, and it¡¯s very hard for us all to keep track. It would be great if we could get many of them on the same shared Google calendar, because then the events will show up in our own personal calendars automatically. I created a shared Google calendar, and you have access to add events to it. To add an event, please go to the Liberating Structures Circle on QiqoChat (131 members): https://ls.qiqochat.com/events (a free space for facilitators to experiment with Liberating Structures) Once you create the event, it will automatically be distributed in three ways: Posted to the events channel in the Liberating Structures Community of Practice on Slack (3108 members). Sent via email to all members of that Qiqo circle listed above Pushed instantly to everyone's personal calendar if they integrated the shared calendar with their personal calendar. To integrate that shared Google calendar with your personal Google/Outlook/etc calendar (so the events automatically come to you), go to that QiqoChat link above and then look for the button under the calendar which says "+ Google Calendar". Please any send questions my way. Lucas Cioffi Founder, QiqoChat.com Scarsdale, NY 917-528-1831
Started by Lucas Cioffi @ · Most recent @
World Future Society Urgent Message 3
Hi All! I belong to the World Future Society. They¡¯re amazing. I¡¯m introducing this network to them by way of their urgent message below. The links might not work. You can go to worldfuture.org. With gratitude for your presence in the world! Leilani THE DIRECT HEALTH RISK OF CORONAVIRUS IS NOT THE ONLY CONCERN - ANOTHER URGENT CONCERN IS THE RIPPLE EFFECT. TO ADDRESS THIS RIPPLE EFFECT, WE WANT TO MOBILIZE 10% (A TIPPING POINT THRESHOLD FOR SOCIETAL CHANGE) OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD WHO CAN HELP. Hello Everyone, The World Future Society over its 50 years has been preparing for a global moment of crisis like this and I am officially reporting this is not a drill, a simulation or a scenario once envisioned. This is real. It is "GO" time! And we need YOUR help! Recent events have shown the results of a lack of preparation. We are at a point now where urgent action is required. Even if we are able to overcome the current crisis without a permanent disruption to essential global systems, it is inevitable that there will be even more disruptive events (not just pandemics) in the future. JOIN US NOW While there are a few countries where public health interventions against the virus seem to have been successful so far - such as in China, where the outbreaks began, or in South Korea, Taiwan or Singapore - there is the real possibility of further waves of the disease. In many countries elsewhere, including in the United States and Europe, hospitals will be stretched to breaking point as containment and delay policies prove inadequate. Too many people remain in denial of the potential ripple effects across all systems of our societies. It is not improbable that major disruptions of our societies caused by the coronavirus, along with other crises triggered or worsened by its effects, will last up to 2 years. It is also possible that COVID-19 becomes "normalized" as an endemic disease that will require reconfiguring our societies. Therefore WFS has just launched the CENTER FOR URGENT ADVANCED COLLABORATION with the following initiatives: Protect and help your local government and health authorities by making sure that they can keep the peace for the public and not become too over-stretched. Co-create back-up plans for advanced collaboration in case of societal collapse. Co-create possible futures that inspire hope, and ones you would like to be a part of. JOIN US NOW Please note: We are preparing for the risk of major, even total societal system collapse, although this possibility is not certain. But, we want you to know there is still a big enough threat for us to take urgent action. The pandemic has been resetting many people's expectations of their society and their futures. In essence, it's a new reality, where past narratives about life trajectories, institutions, and even traditions have been upset and confused by the disruption caused by the virus. In this chaos, WFS sees a vacuum where responsible, inclusive and constructive new story-lines for humanity are needed. WFS recognizes its responsibility in helping to lead the building of new systems for a transformed, enhanced society that will be more resilient to future existential threats to human civilization - be that another pandemic, or climate change, or other dangers. WE NEED THE FOLLOWING: FUTURISTS BIG THINKERS SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS THOSE WITH SPECIAL RELEVANT TALENTS ORGANIZATIONS WITH REACH FAMILY OFFICES WITH PURPOSE ENTREPRENEURS WHO CAN EXECUTE DO-ERS ORGANIZERS UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN SENT HOME FROM SCHOOL THOSE WHO ARE NOT COMPLICIT AND COMPLACENT OR IN DENIAL WE HAVE A PLATFORM THAT IS EVOLVING REAL-TIME THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN: DIRECTION AND LEADERSHIP SUPPORT AND SOLIDARITY (You are not alone when/if you do get the virus) INTELLIGENCE BRIEFINGS LIVE CHAT ADVANCED COLLABORATION CO-CREATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR DESIRED FUTURES ADVANCING YOUR SUPERHERO ABILITIES COMEDY AND LEVITY JOIN US NOW Please join us in our WFS community, which has thousands of people participating today. We are prepared to scale the number of people who can join rapi
Started by Leilani Henry @ · Most recent @
Recordings and Artifacts from this week's experimental online events 3 #facilitation #meetingdesign #liberatingstructures
March 4th, Using the Liberating Structure TRIZ online to figure out what meeting habits to STOP doing (instead of porting miserable meetings online!) GDrive folder contains audio, video recordings, slides and artifacts from Zoom gathering (53+ people from around the world). Thanks to Fernando for tech hosting, Elana Centor for recording and Beth Kanter for tidy-up work! TRIZ Online Template under update. March 4th - Using Liberating Structures online to face our fears and start moving forward in the time of Covid 19. Slides and annotated chat transcript (no recordings) Thanks to Keith McCandless for co-hosting w me (Nancy White) March 5th - Using the Liberating Structure ¡°Ecocycle Planning¡± to take a step back and prioritize moving online. A Fishbowl with WFP¡¯s tech team where they ecocycled live in front of us and 30+ people offered insights and advice, both directly to the WFP team and at a meta level about ecocycle and ecocycle in the online environment. GDrive folder contains audio, video recordings, slides and artifacts from Zoom gathering. Ecocycle Online Template. Thanks to the team at WFP, Michaela for lending a tech hosting hand, Elana Centor for recording and Beth Kanter for tidy-up work!
Started by Nancy White @ · Most recent @
Taking collaborative workshops online 4
Hi All, Here's an example of an online civic tech "hackathon" happening now (today from 12pm-8pm Eastern / 9am-5pm Pacific) which you can explore now or even after the event is over. In a hackathon, everyone is welcome regardless of technical expertise -- teams form and integrate the skills of citizens/residents, software developers, designers, etc. DemocracyLab is the host organization, and because they are in Washington they chose to make it an online hackathon for 15 civic tech projects working in parallel. (187 RSVPs, 70 present at opening session) We're using QiqoChat as an add-on to Zoom. Participants are able to move themselves to different breakout rooms (unlike standard Zoom breakout rooms) and each breakout room has one embedded Google doc (or any other online tool). I've attached a screenshot to this email and also posted a screenshot here in case it doesn't come through on this email. What other tools are folks using to do similar things? I'm interested to hear! Lucas Cioffi Founder, QiqoChat.com Scarsdale, NY 917-528-1831
Started by Lucas Cioffi @ · Most recent @
Play Sessions via Zoom: Free online social gatherings 2
Hi everyone, I thought that some people in this group would appreciate this offering. I think it might be a great way to practice and learn some ways to deepen the interpersonal connections virtually. Marian is a dear friend and very skilled improviser. Warmly, Andres Andres Marquez-Lara Founder & CEO, UFacilitate +1 571.414.1315 | andres@... https://www.ufacilitate.com/ Washington, D.C. We discover, we design, you deliver. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: East Side Institute <esievents@...> Date: Mon, Mar 16, 2020 at 11:51 AM Subject: Play Sessions via Zoom: Free online social gatherings To: A playful response to social distancing & quarantine As more and more people around the globe deal with ¡°social distancing¡± and quarantine, the East Side Institute is offering a series of free online play sessions via Zoom. We hope to bring together people from every continent to strengthen connection and build community while playing with emotions, language and challenges. The series will be hosted by ESI faculty member Marian Rich. As an improviser, facilitator and international performance activist, Marian will use her expertise at playing online along with her humor and compassion to co-create these sessions with guest co-hosts from around the world. Creating Connection & Building Community Through Play Dates and Times Are All EDT/Eastern: Sunday 3/22 - 1:30pm-2:30pm Hosted by Marian Rich Sunday 3/29 - 1:30pm-2:30pm Co-hosted by Marian Rich and Performance Activists in U.S. & Costa Rica Sunday 4/5 - Time TBD Co-hosted by Marian Rich and Performance Activists in Italy Saturday 4/18 - 8:00pm-9:00pm (Sunday, 4/19 at 8am & 2pm respectively in Japan & New Zealand) Co-hosted by Marian Rich & Performance Activists in Japan & New Zealand Sunday, 4/26 - Time TBD Co-hosted by Marian Rich & Performance Activists in Juarez, Mexico & El Paso, TX Yes, please sign up! Marian Rich . . . . . . is an actress, comedic improviser and theatrical director who has spent over 30 years leading playful workshops and programs in which people come together to grow and develop. Her playful and philosophical sessions during the Institute¡¯s International Class residencies have impacted activists, educators and scholars from around the world who are looking for ways to infuse their work with the power of performance. She is the co-author of ¡°Playing Around with Changing the World,¡± a chapter about this work in The Applied Improvisation Mindset, to be published by Bloomsbury Press early 2021. East Side Institute | 119 W 23 Street, Suite 902, New York, NY 10011 Unsubscribe andres@... Update Profile | About Constant Contact Sent by esievents@... in collaboration with Try email marketing for free today! --
Started by Andres Marquez-Lara @ · Most recent @
Virtual public meetings
Hello: For anyone who would like assistance hosting a meeting for the general public that integrates technology, please reach out to me (Dr. Larry Schooler, lschooler@...). Background here: https://participedia.net/case/5102 dr. Larry schooler Director of Consensus Building and Community Engagement o: 512-533-9100 m: 512-387-4876 lschooler@...
Started by Larry Schooler @
About moving to teach online 10
I thought this might be of interest. -- Pete "Faculty/teaching colleagues at colleges and universities. I am going to start a bare bones thread with some resources about moving to teach online." https://twitter.com/nanaslugdiva/status/1236005712020426752
Started by Peter Kaminski @ · Most recent @
Two Online Events This Week - Open Convos to Connect 2 #events
There are some interesting online events people are offering. I've copied two of them below to share. Make sure you read all the way down if you are interested. These events ARE THIS WEEK! -------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: Join us for an Open Virtual Coffee Chat Date: Mon, 16 Mar 2020 23:39:13 -0000 From: Leadership Learning Community <info@...> Reply-To: kyle@... To: nancyw@... Join us for an Open Virtual Coffee Chat Day to day our world is changing dramatically. In our staff meeting this morning we realized we needed a big pause to check in with each other not only about our families and how we are feeling but how to sense our way into what our work, our networks, and our communities need most from us right now. It was helpful to us to show up authentically and ask these questions and lean on each other to figure out what we can together. We want to hold these spaces with and for our network as well to: Respond in real-time to the stress on system(s) and people by connecting with each other Figure out how we can support each other and our communities Be responsive to recommendations to distance socially without distancing emotionally Share and learn together about how our work is changing and how to stay relevant Come as you are able with: Open-heart, vulnerability, questions, resources, and ideas about mutual care Show-up as is - meaning whoever, however, wherever welcome (pets, children, all necessarily in shared space and time, pjs, no makeup, etc.) We'll be offering two sessions this week. Let us know below if you are interested in joining us! SESSION 1 | Wednesday, 3/18, 10:00 - 11:00 PT / 1:00 - 2:00 ET REGISTER NOW SESSION 2 | Wednesday, 3/20, 11:00 - 12:00 PT 2:00 - 3:00 ET REGISTER NOW Leadership Learning Community 1000 Broadway suite 480 Oakland, California Share this email: Manage your preferences | Opt out using TrueRemove? Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails. View this email online. 1000 Broadway, Suite 480 Oakland, CA | 94607 US This email was sent to nancyw@.... To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book. -------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: [thepeopleweb] Stay Connected: How to bring your gatherings online and make them community building Date: Mon, 16 Mar 2020 15:24:35 -0700 From: Susan Partnow (via thepeopleweb Mailing List) <thepeopleweb@...> Reply-To: thepeopleweb@... Are you feeling disconnected from co-workers, community and friends? Are you at a loss about how to have a meaningful digital gathering? Team meetings, book groups, action committees, coffee klatches... they can all happen with great satisfaction online with a platform like Zoom. You don't need to feel disconnected during these challenging days of 'social distancing.' Come experience how it works, and learn some key skills and practices to make your online gatherings more interactive, connecting and even heartful. Register here and you will receive the Zoom link. https://bpt.me/4553288 Contribution of $10 requested. Scholarships available so no one is turned away. (message me!) Please "like" and share on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/2773387339447007/ Susan Partnow she/her/hers 4425 Baker Ave NW Seattle, WA 98107 tel. 206-310-1203 (use this for WhatsApp with +1) www.susanpartnow.com Partnow Communications, Organizational Development & Workshops Breathe deep. Smell the roses. Wash your hands! www.globalcitizenjourney.org . Founder and Executive Director https://www.facebook.com/globalcitizenjourney/ www.conversationcafe.org Co-Founder www.compassionatelistening.org Network Weaver and Sr. Certified Facilitator Watch my King5 TV Interview on Compassionate Listening!
Started by Nancy White @ · Most recent @
#events #liberatingstructures #events #liberatingstructures
*EDIT:* One should consume caffeine before posting event info. I left off the Subject Line and date of this event. It is THIS Saturday, 8-9:30 am PDT (GMT-7), online. Please register so we know how many folks to expect. THANKS! OK, next experiment: 15% solutions, Troika - 15% Solutions ,Troika Consulting and WWW Online: Spawn practical next steps and get/give help to make it happen! Saturday March 20, 8-9:30 am PDT (GMT -7) *Description* In our continuing series of using Liberating Structures ( http://www.liberatingstructures.com ) online, we'll spend 90 practical minutes using three "workhorse" LS to move into practical action. We will discover next steps with 15% Solutions, get and give help with Troika Consulting and debrief with a third structure, "What, So What, Now What?" While this is not an introduction nor explanation of Liberating Structures (http://www.liberatingstructures.com) you can join even with no experience. Please join via a computer with a mic/camera and ideally, headset. Seeing each other is an important part of the experience/experiment! Come prepared to play, fail forward and walk away with something immediately useful. Your lead experimenters: Nancy White ( http://www.fullcirc.com ) and Paul Tevis ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultevis/) ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultevis/ ) REGISTRATION URL: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/uJ0vcuuhqjMqII-5Ndoa6G1PHom6RAgiFg (I'm experimenting with registration so we can send out follow up artifacts afterwards!)
Started by Nancy White @
Douglas Rushkoff Act as if You¡¯re Really There ¨C What learning to speak remotely teaches us about how to compensate for the coming era of social distancing 2 #technology #meetingdesign #keynotes #speakers #events
¡°In one way, at least, I was prepared for this crisis. I¡¯m an author of books about technology and society, and I make my living traveling around the world giving speeches to people who would rather listen than read. Over the past couple of years, however, I¡¯ve been doing an increasing number of my speaking appearances over the internet. It¡¯s better for the environment, there¡¯s less wear and tear on my body, it saves money, and I don¡¯t have to block out as many dates on my Google Calendar. What I didn¡¯t realize is how much my work refining the style, format, and content of these remote appearances would prepare me for the era of social distancing. Make no mistake: Video conferencing is really no substitute for live engagement. Real, face-to-face encounters engage a host of painstakingly evolved social mechanisms for establishing rapport. Subconsciously, we register subtle cues, such as whether a person¡¯s pupils are dilating to take us in, or if they are nodding almost imperceptibly as they agree with us. Our listeners¡¯ breathing syncs up with our own as we establish rapport. This, in turn, activates the mirror neurons in our brain, which releases oxytocin into our bloodstream, bonding us as securely as a breastfeeding mother gazing into her infant¡¯s eyes. None of this happens on Skype. The person on the other side may say they agree with us, but even at 1080p we don¡¯t get the subtle cues that say this to our bodies. Instinct tells us the person is lying to us. Likewise, in-person appearances ¡ª whether in a local classroom or tremendous convention hall ¡ª engender a sense of physical presence that doesn¡¯t come through in media. A person on a screen often comes across as a giant Big Brother or a blurry amateur. Worse, it feels like they couldn¡¯t even bother to show up. It¡¯s discomfiting, which is why many are reluctant to let us make appearances this way. But there are easy ways to mitigate the alienating effects of telepresence. The first thing I do for a remote talk to a real conference audience is to compensate for my physical absence with a live body. I find someone I know on-site to play ¡°host¡± on stage, anchoring my disembodied presence in the space. The host serves as an embodied avatar ¡ª a portal, of sorts, from the world of the real room to the world up on the screen. The host introduces me, but more importantly ¡°hands off¡± the conversation ¡ª much in the way newscasters have learned to do a bit of banter as they transition from one person¡¯s story to another. If I can¡¯t be somewhere in person, I always have a primary handler on site. If an event is completely virtual and there¡¯s no onsite host at all, then I try to pivot off the online conference host, or even the last speaker. Anything to create a sense of grounding, continuity, or orientation ¡ª so I¡¯m not just a floating head appearing out of nowhere. Likewise, I compensate for remoteness with interactivity. I¡¯m an old theater jock, and at in-person events, I can lecture for 60 minutes straight and hold the crowd¡¯s attention. But a 60-minute stream of one person talking is indistinguishable from a YouTube video. So instead, I speak for just 15 minutes, varying my style at least twice along the way. I headline the talk in advance, letting the audience know what they¡¯re going to hear. Then the stories, examples, and evidence that makes those points. After that, both to clue in those who couldn¡¯t make the connections between the headlines and examples and to reward those who did, I explicitly tie the examples to the bigger point. Then, I take two or three questions from the host. (If there¡¯s no host or physical location, then I plant and pick on a friend or colleague to share the screen with in advance.) Those questions are prearranged, so I can deliver a bit more of my content in a new format. The host¡¯s questions must also serve the purpose of grounding the talk¡¯s subject in the here and now ¡ª ideally the here and now of the room, but at least that of the audience. Nothing conveyed via video seems quite relevant until it is made explicitly so. ¡°I love your idea abo
Started by Ken Homer @ · Most recent @
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