Newly Virtual Politics: Meetings

In the early days of the Coronavirus Pandemic, when nearly universal work-from-home for knowledge workers was still fairly new, you might have noticed a spate of articles in the business press about workplace politics in virtual teams and virtual organizations. With so many people now working remotely, virtual politics was of interest because so many teams or groups now looked more like virtual teams or groups.

Starting in the spring or early summer of 2020, work-from-home brought about dramatic changes. Suddenly working from home meant working solo, unless we were attending a meeting or on the phone. Suddenly there were no more (mostly) face-to-face team meetings, with one or two people phoning in. Team meetings now took place over phone or Zoom or MS Teams or something else. Suddenly there were no more clusters of people in conference rooms at different sites watching the same video feed. Now everyone from every site was logged in to the same digitally mediated meeting. Suddenly there were no more daily stand-up meetings. Now the "daily stand-up" was still daily, but everyone was actually sitting down at home. Suddenly there was no more "dropping in" on a colleague on your way back from the coffee station. Now the "dropping in" was a text message that might or might not have developed into a phone call.

Oh, and now there was the occasional barking dog or crying baby.

These changes, though superficial, have important implications for how we do our work. Consider the effects of these changes on the politics of our teams or groups.

It's helpful to begin by defining politics. There are dozens of definitions, maybe more. Here's mine:

Workplace politics is what happens when we contend with each other for control or dominance, or when we work together to solve specific problems.

In addition Because of the pandemic, meetings
are virtual. They no longer
require conference rooms.to backstabbing, rumormongering, and other dirty tricks, this definition includes constructive, collaborative activity. Positive, constructive politics has been a critical component of success in organizations for a very long time, despite the widespread perception of politics as an evil to be banished from organizational life. Fortunately, perceptions are changing. [Hill 2017]

With that in mind, there is much we can say about virtual politics at the present moment.

Meetings no longer require conference rooms

Back when a good number of the people attending a meeting were attending in person, face-to-face, meetings required conference rooms. And in organizations in which conference rooms were in short supply, having a regular weekly or daily meeting at the same time every week or day was one way of ensuring that the team had access to a conference room that met its needs. Teams could reserve their favorite conference rooms and time slots indefinitely into the future. This led to a tendency to have meetings that weren't actually necessary or were longer than they needed to be.

Newly virtual teams that are accustomed to meeting every week or day sometimes continue this practice. But because they're meeting virtually now, they can consider reducing the frequency or length of their meetings, without risking loss of access to a conference room. Keeping their meetings at a regular time is still advisable, though. Regularity limits development of schedule conflicts.

Where you sit around the conference table no longer matters

Back when a good number of the people attending a meeting were attending in person, face-to-face, choice of seat around the table could affect one's ability to contribute to the meeting. [Brenner 2004.1]

In virtual meetings, where everyone is connected to the meeting by telephone or video, there is no table. Seating position around that nonexistent table is no longer a relevant concept. But whether you're connected by telephone or video, where you sit in the real world does matter. For audio, you want a quiet space with limited wind. For video, you want proper lighting and a business-like setting. Golf courses, bars, bedrooms, and beaches are unwise choices. [Brenner 2020.5]

The background of your video image matters

Let's set aside virtual backgrounds right away, because they're so easily detected that they deceive hardly anyone. Your choice of background can be a political statement that can affect how others assess your credibility. This is an example of a cognitive bias known as the halo effect. [Thorndike 1920] When one or more attributes of a person (or, presumably, any entity) are regarded as positive or attractive, the halo effect causes us to tend to assess other attributes of that person (or entity) more favorably than we otherwise would.

For example, suppose you're choosing where to sit for an upcoming videoconference. If you have a home with an ocean or lake view, choosing to sit so as to show the waves gently breaking on "your" beach in the beautiful afternoon sun is one way to demonstrate your wealth and power. The halo effect then might cause observers to tend to assess your contributions to the meeting as more valuable than they otherwise would. If your wealth and power aren't relevant to the substance of your contributions to the meeting, then the credibility gained by demonstrating your wealth and power can result in undue influence. That undue influence can lead the meeting to incorrect conclusions. A well-appointed room, or an impressive bookshelf, or elegant artwork can have similar effects.

As a meeting participant, you're an observer of the video backgrounds others have selected. When you notice a particularly appealing background, be alert. Remember the halo effect.

These are just three ways the politics of virtual meetings differ from the politics of face-to-face meetings. Next time I'll explore differences that are more specific to the participants of the meeting.   Next issue in this series   Top    Next Issue

Are your virtual meetings plagued by inattentiveness, interruptions, absenteeism, and a seemingly endless need to repeat what somebody just said? Do you have trouble finding a time when everyone can meet? Do people seem disengaged and apathetic? Or do you have violent clashes and a plague of virtual bullying? Read Leading Virtual Meetings for Real Results to learn how to make virtual meetings much more productive and less stressful — and a lot shorter. Order Now!

Footnotes

Your comments are welcome

About Point Lookout

Thank you for reading this article. I hope you enjoyed it and found it useful, and that you'll consider recommending it to a friend.

This article in its entirety was written by a human being. No machine intelligence was involved in any way.

Point Lookout is a free weekly email newsletter. Browse the archive of past issues. Subscribe for free.

Support Point Lookout by joining the Friends of Point Lookout, as an individual or as an organization.

Do you face a complex interpersonal situation? Send it in, anonymously if you like, and I'll give you my two cents.

Related articles

More articles on Virtual and Global Teams:

Social Entry Strategies: I

Much more than work happens in the workplace. We also engage in social behaviors, including one sometimes called social entry. We use social entry strategies to make places for ourselves in social groups at work.

Costs of the Catch-Me-Up Antipattern: I

Your meetings start on time, but some people are habitually late. When they arrive, they ask, "What did I miss? Catch me up." This is an expensive way to do business. How expensive is it?

Mastering Messaging for Pandemics: I

When a pandemic rages, face-to-face meetings are largely curtailed. Clarity in text messaging and email communication becomes more important than usual. Citing dates and times unambiguously requires a more rigorous approach than many are accustomed to.

Remote Hires: Communications

When knowledge-oriented organizations hire remote workers, success is limited by the communications facilities they provide. Remote hires need phones, computers, email, text, video, calendars, and more. Communications infrastructure drives productivity.

Seven Ways to Support Word-of-Mouth About Your Content

Whether you're making a presentation or writing an article or a book, making your material more memorable is a desirable objective. After the talk, or after the reader sets down your work, what you have to offer will be accessible only if the auditor or reader remembers something about it.

See also Virtual and Global Teams for more related articles.

Forthcoming issues of Point Lookout

Coming July 2: The True Costs of Contractors

Among the more commonly cited reasons for hiring contractors instead of direct employees is cost savings. But are these savings real? Direct compensation, including perks and benefits, might favor the contractor arrangement, but indirect costs tell another story. Available here and by RSS on July 2.

And on July 9: On Being Seriously Funny at Work

Humor is such a valuable tool at work that it ought to be recognized as an official contribution by team members who provide the laughs that keep some teams from auto-destructing. Even if you're not known for bringing the funny, there are a few simple techniques that can change your image. Available here and by RSS on July 9.

Coaching services

I offer email and telephone coaching at both corporate and individual rates. Contact Rick for details at rbrenaXXxGCwVgbgLZDuRner@ChacDjdMAATPdDNJnrSwoCanyon.com or (650) 787-6475, or toll-free in the continental US at (866) 378-5470.

Get the ebook!

Past issues of Point Lookout are available in six ebooks:

• Get 2001-2 in Geese Don't Land on Twigs (PDF, )
• Get 2003-4 in Why Dogs Wag (PDF, )
• Get 2005-6 in Loopy Things We Do (PDF, )
• Get 2007-8 in Things We Believe That Maybe Aren't So True (PDF, )
• Get 2009-10 in The Questions Not Asked (PDF, )
• Get all of the first twelve years (2001-2012) in The Collected Issues of Point Lookout (PDF, )

Are you a writer, editor or publisher on deadline? Are you looking for an article that will get people talking and get compliments flying your way? You can have 500-1000 words in your inbox in one hour. License any article from this Web site. More info