When in person in a meeting or classroom it takes a few extra seconds of silence to erase the whiteboard. Everyone sits in anticipation and respect for the time to erase. Virtually, we don’t design meetings to have many pauses.

When someone doesn’t speak up its noticed because they have a physical space the physical space they take up doesn’t provide input. Virtually, we don’t have a physical space to associate people with so we can go by unnoticed in a meeting.

When someone is speaking and then takes a beat to think more, everyone waits for them because the presence they take up demands respect. Virtually any little pause is room for someone else to get their comment in.

A lot of this comes down to respect. In person, we know how to do respect. It’s built into our culture and experiences. Virtually, we need to build it in. Work a little harder to design for respect.

For example, when I’m transitioning a meeting to a new topic, I’m going to ask a general question to allow for people to stop and think. As I’m leading a meeting, I’m going to list out on a paper all the people in the meeting and keep an eye on it…maybe even I should make trading cards for those I interact with often, giving them a physical space. When I’m listening to someone and they take a beat, I’m going to assume they are thinking about more to say and wait.

Some of this idea was sparked by John Maeda’s Redesigning Leadership chapter on Technologist as Leader.