Remote Workshops have an Energy Problem

And it’s not called Zoom fatigue.

It’s called getting used to it.
Everyone sits there, camera on, head slightly tilted, gaze somewhere between mobile phone and second screen.
After 40 minutes, everything is the same.
Same picture. Same process. Same silence when you ask a question.

What helps?
A media break. In other words, something that is different from what is happening right now. Short, lightweight, a bit surprising.

Here are two from my toolbox:

👉🏻Chatterfall
I ask a question.
Everyone types their answer into the chat … and don’t press Enter yet.
Everyone sends off a “3, 2, 1, go!” at the same time.
And then there is a rush.
Everyone answers, no one copies the previous speaker, and the silent participants are just as visible as the loud ones.

👉🏻 Camera on, camera off
Works wonderfully for closed questions.
First, I ask everyone to turn off the camera. That alone is a small break, because otherwise everyone is always on (hopefully!).
Then a closed question: “If you are in favor of [Option 1] in this situation, please turn on the camera now.”
Plop. Plop. Plop.

Suddenly, everyone is looking to see who shows up (and who doesn’t).
A picture of the mood that you can see. Not just read, or listen.

The bottom line: Attention comes back because something happens that no one expected.

Hey! Which energizers, media breaks or wake-ups do you use to bring your participants back remotely?

What works really well for you?
What did you try and never do again?

Write it in the comments!