'Thanks for the brilliant session today! I love the idea of establishing hand gestures to facilitate conversation and connection, it will make such a difference in how we communicate in these meetings.'
We find that the video meeting signals provide a human connection that makes meetings feel very inclusive in a virtual world.
Rosie Mackenzie, Global Head of Leadership, Management and Team Development, AstraZeneca
We really like Paul's approach of using hand signals to help video meetings run more effectively. We are now using the signs in our ongoing team meetings. We particularly like the idea of passing the conversation, which avoids the silences and not knowing who will speak next, and the thumbs up for showing interest and agreement. We are putting the technique into our AstraZeneca team effectiveness solution using materials Paul is providing, so our managers can learn the approach and how best to introduce it to their own meetings.
Thomas Hetherington
Global Learning Partner, AstraZeneca
Paul worked with a leadership team at LexisNexis to introduce the video signals approach to enhancing engagement and participation in virtual meetings. He took a high-performing team and improved meeting efficiency and communication while at the same time providing the opportunity to deepen relationships. Paul's open and honest style and research-based methodology worked really well for us and I would recommend anyone considering the approach to give Paul a try.
Mark Smith
Market Development Director, LexisNexis
Paul introduced us to some great tools to help improve our virtual meetings. The team found the sessions really enjoyable and engaging. The use of the signs is very powerful but even more importantly the work on values and behaviours, meeting etiquette and the role and skills of the team leader has opened up the whole debate for us about what we could and should do differently to make our virtual meetings more productive and engaging, with a positive impact on wellbeing.
Allyson Glover
Programme Director, Unlocking Potential
The signals really animate the screen and make people feel they're back in a room with more people. Very quickly using the signals has become part of our culture and they've really revolutionized our team meetings. It's a phenomenal, simple solution that people have actually been very enthusiastic about. In gallery view the fact that people are moving around just gives you that sense of interaction.
The other great thing about these signals is that almost as soon as you've learnt them they become completely intuitive.
See the case study video here
Kim Conchie
Chief Executive, Cornwall Chamber of Commerce
We're actually able to communicate without talking over each other and I think that's the biggest issue in a meeting now on Zoom - when do you speak. Paul taught us the team chairing and passing technique, so the fact that we can pass the conversation to each other. We can engage with each other without actually having to open our mouths and disrupt the person, which makes a massive difference.
Heather Coupland, Programme Delivery Manager
It can be quite a challenge engaging with a large group of people over Zoom, and especially making sure everyone who wants to speak gets a chance to do so. We gave the signs a work out at our recent committee meeting and they were a real hit. The feedback was great - people liked having that extra way to communicate, which made it easier for everyone to take their turn and join in, and in a fun way. We are definitely going to roll it out to the full membership."
Caroline Powell
Co-President, Lee Green WI
‘My team are very keen on the signs and they are actively using them, which has helped to create a more natural engagement and flow to our meetings. The signs make it easier for everyone to have an active involvement and contribute more. They also give people permission to interrupt and a way of doing so which does not disrupt the meeting flow. In face-to-face meetings I felt I could 'read the room' but this is very difficult on Zoom, However, now with everyone contributing more and being more active I can more easily tune in. I am getting more feedback and seeing more body language.'
Hetal Patel
STEPS Service Leader, SEND Outreach Services, Royal Borough of Greenwich
Alexander Technique Teacher
Experience of a video call on Zoom using hand signs for the first time
‘I was amazed at how the signs allowed us to create a much closer connection amongst the people on the call. I was sharing my experience of lockdown which had been difficult. I was concerned about talking to others who I didn’t know really well. However, soon into my story I noticed several people making the sign we had learned that says ‘I have had a similar experience’. This was very powerful for me. As I continued talking, I could see everyone on the call was either making this sign or a second sign that told me they had not had a similar experience - some had really enjoyed lockdown - but they were touched by what I was saying and wanted to show me kindness. This made me feel less alone and afterwards I said I felt I had received a big hug from the group. I never expected we could create this kind of emotional bond so quickly on a video call and I’m sure we couldn’t have achieved it without the signs.'
Feedback from recent workshop attendees:
'Thanks for the brilliant session today! I love the idea of establishing hand gestures to facilitate conversation and connection, it will make such a difference in how we communicate in these meetings.'
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'I liked your demo of the video meeting values. I can see how it would be useful, as a team, to come back to this in subsequent sessions and work out a protocol for online meetings together.'
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'Thank you for the session today, it was really great! I had a lot of fun and it was really useful. I find it hard to talk during meetings so the use of hand gestures/signs was a particular favourite.'