Virtual Communication Channels

🎯 Why Your Virtual Team Might Be Failing—And How One 3-Minute Video Can Fix It Ever led a virtual team where things look good on paper—but something just feels… off? I’ve been there. I was managing a cross-functional virtual team spread across time zones. We had top talent, clear goals, the latest tools—but something was missing. Engagement was low. Collaboration felt clunky. Results slowed. 💡 Then it hit me: We weren’t seeing each other anymore. Yes, we had Zoom. Yes, we had email. But we had stopped doing the one thing that builds trust faster than anything else in remote leadership: 📹 Face-to-face video communication—even if it’s virtual. ⸻ ✅ Here’s one thing you can start doing that will change everything: I began having weekly video meetings and sending 3-minute video check-ins. No agenda. Just eye contact, body language, and real talk. The result? • 36% increase in project velocity in just 30 days • Team engagement scores jumped 22% • Even our quietest team member started contributing ideas during meetings Why? Because seeing people changes everything. You can’t read warmth in a Slack thread. You can’t show empathy in a bullet point. But you can feel connection through a face, a tone, a gesture. ⸻ 📊 Here’s the Science Behind It: Harvard research shows that non-verbal communication makes up over 90% of how we understand one another. Yet most virtual teams rely solely on text and task boards. That’s a disconnect. If you’re a team leader, remote manager, or project lead, you must go beyond just “managing tasks”—you have to influence with presence. ⸻ 🧠 Practical Application You Can Start Today: 1. Send a 3-minute video check-in every Monday—no script needed. 2. Use video for feedback instead of email. It builds rapport. 3. Hold at least one “cameras-on” meeting a week. Make it about connection, not just work. It’s not about being polished. It’s about being present. ⸻ 💬 Who this is for: If you’re a: • Virtual team leader • Remote project manager • Distributed team coach or agile lead • Startup founder managing remote talent …then this applies directly to your day-to-day. ⸻ 🛠️ Tools I Recommend: • Loom (for async videos) • Zoom (for live connections) • Slack clips (for lightweight updates) #VirtualLeadership #RemoteTeamManagement #AsynchronousCommunication

Drowning in Zoom calls and Slack threads? No energy left at the end of the day? 🥱 Zoom fatigue is real. So is information overload. It certainly happens to me. To understand science-backed strategies that get better results while preserving our energy, I invited Andrew Brodsky to Speak Like a CEO. Andrew is a management professor at the University of Texas at Austin, and the author of "Ping: The Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication". His PING framework is a simple, research-backed method to help you communicate smarter, not harder, in today’s virtual world. 📌 Perspective-taking 💡 Initiative 🎭 Nonverbal cues 🎯 Goals P = Perspective-taking Virtual communication makes it easy to forget there’s a human on the other side. Whether it’s a blunt email or a cold video call, always ask: How will this message feel to them? Clarity and empathy go further than you think. I = Initiative Don’t accept the weaknesses of a platform – fix them. Add warmth to text-based chats, build rapport before negotiations, or switch formats to better match your message. N = Nonverbal cues Your tone, lighting, posture, and even silence send signals. Be intentional. On video, your background, gestures and eye contact matter. G = Goals Start with the outcome. Want quick input? Use Slack. Need alignment? Meet live. Trying to build trust? Turn on the camera. Match the medium to your goal, not your habit. Our virtual communication has become a habit. Let’s challenge them and replace outdated routines with science-backed strategies. ❓ How do you ensure your message lands virtually?   ♻️ Repost to help someone improve their virtual communication. 📌 Follow me, Oliver Aust, for daily strategies on leadership communications.

A conversation with a senior leader about the choice of the best communication channel started like this: "I want to celebrate a colleague who has been promoted. I'd like people to congratulate the person, but also want people to reflect on what a career means at our company. Which communication channel should I use?" In my experience the choice of channel is not often considered by the sender, and the chosen tool is too often a result of what the person is comfortable with rather than what best delivers the desired outcome. I came up with this list of pros and cons of a set of popular channels given that this leader works in a large global company. I appreciate that options and choices are context-specific, so I'd love to hear what you think given the specific context. Email: Pro: Direct, personal, and can reach specific individuals quickly. It's also familiar to most people. Con: Doesn't encourage broad interaction or visibility. It's not ideal for fostering a sense of community or open conversation. Viva Engage: Pro: Viva Engage is excellent for fostering open conversations, celebrating achievements, and reaching a broader audience. It's also great for senior leaders to have two-way conversations, ask questions, and listen to what colleagues are talking about. Con: Some people might still prefer to respond privately via email or Teams chat rather than broadening the conversation on Viva Engage. Microsoft Teams Chat: Pros: Instant, personal, and encourages quick feedback. It's great for immediate recognition. Cons: It's more private and less visible to the broader team or organisation. Microsoft Teams Channel message: Pro: Visible to everyone in the channel. It encourages group conversation and collaboration. Con: Might not reach people who are not active in that specific channel. SharePoint Intranet news article: Pro: Wide reach and longevity. It can be a formal and lasting recognition of the colleague's promotion. Con: Interaction is limited, and it might take time for people to see the article. Considering that this particular leader wants to celebrate, encourage congratulations, and stimulate reflection on career paths at their company, I'd recommend using Viva Engage. It's great for starting broad, open conversations and fostering a sense of community. The leader could follow up with a news article on SharePoint for a more formal recognition. Or do it the other way around. What would you have suggested? (Image URL https://lnkd.in/djEbfig9)