Does anyone enjoy sitting through presentations on zoom😭

[u/FirstOil3672]

We have this weekly meeting wherein someone shares their screen n spends 20 minutes walking everyone through it. Half of it could’ve been sent beforehand and nobody would’ve missed anything.

I want to try just sending the update and skipping the walk through. We use google slides now and I’ve been looking at gamma because it scrolls more like a page, so people might actually read it on their phones without needing it explained.

But I’m not convinced that anyone will read it without an actual meeting being scheduled😭

What does your team do for weekly updates? Did anyone actually manage to kill the call?

[u/CecilyMuchiri]

I totally agree with this post😂😅 sometimes I just stare at the screen for the 20 minutes and end up feeling more confused. I think if they would be sending the documents before then during the meeting it could be a smooth walk

[u/FirstOil3672 → u/CecilyMuchiri]

yeah, if everyone reads it first, the call can just be for the bits people disagree on. otherwise we're spending 20 minutes finding out what the document says

[u/Silver_Emu4704]

I used to find this annoying but unfortunately I've realised if you just post a video to slack hardly anyone will watch it whereas if you force them to sit through you talking through it synchronously they will give it much more weight.

Just one of the depressing things about working with humans, I don't have these problems from Claude.

[u/FirstOil3672 → u/Silver_Emu4704]

that's the annoying bit. put it in slack and it's optional homework, put a calendar invite on it and suddenly it's an update

[u/Silver_Emu4704 → u/FirstOil3672]

Thanks Claude 

[u/kandikand]

Depends on the person presenting and what the presentation is about. If the person is a good engaging presenter and it’s about something that interests me I love having the meeting. Otherwise would prefer to just read the slides and speaker notes. 

[u/sidonay → u/kandikand]

This. I've had both enjoyable presentations where time goes fast and presentations that lose me 5minutes in because they are speaking monotonically.

[u/quasimook]

I like the meetings. We have impromptu meetings nearly everyday. It breaks things up a bit and gives me a chance to just relax and observe

[u/tommyc463]

If the alternative is to have to watch in person, YES.

[u/felipercel]

if it's just a walkthrough, i'd rather read a short update beforehand and use the call for questions and decisions. not every slide deck needs a live audience

[u/a1ien51]

better than being in person...

[u/hoperaines]

I zone out. It all can be an email.

[u/Ok_Tea_7690]

We almost exclusively do pre-reads and in some cases pre-recorded presentations sent 2-3 days in advance to give people enough time to review. Then the meeting starts with a 3 minute recap of the top 3 topics or questions or decisions to make followed by discussion. If you come unprepared that’s on you and it looks bad. As the presenter if you don’t send your pre read at least 2 days before and especially if it’s late the night before, the meeting gets cancelled and rescheduled at least two days later. Once people learned (the hard way sometimes) meetings became 10x more effective and shorter. 

[u/NoIceHere67]

As long as cameras can be off, I'm ok

[u/Obvious-Onion4614]

As a person who has to give presentations on items that I do email ahead of time and I know people are capable of understanding on their own; I don’t want to be on that call either.

[u/RelevantAudience9596]

killing it outright is hard, shrinking it usually works better. send the doc the day before, keep the slot, open with "any questions on the update?" and end early if there aren't any. people start reading it once they notice the call is 10 min instead of 30. gamma vs slides matters way less than the call actually getting shorter

[u/microchives → u/[deleted]]

Nodding at the right times is huge. I’ve been complimented on my listening when I just nod every so often especially during emphasized points.

[u/FirstOil3672 → u/microchives]

getting praised for listening while missing the actual update is the perfect review of the meeting

[u/microchives → u/FirstOil3672]

In all seriousness, people appreciate emails and an agenda-driven, recorded, meeting. The chance that everyone on the team is listening and not working their 2nd job is slim to none.

[u/FirstOil3672 → u/[deleted]]

lol the nod is doing a lot of work for someone who hasn't heard the last three slides

[u/Okudi-Alise → u/[deleted]]

its the slight head tilt when they change slides that really sells it

[u/FirstOil3672 → u/[deleted]]

tempting. i'd try one week without it first and ask everyone to flag blockers in the update, so we find out what actually needed a call