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How to Plan Your First Live Event in Microsoft Teams

CMMA Blog

As teleworking takes hold around the world, enterprise organizations are turning to online collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams to broadcast Live Video communications. Although the platform is intuitive and easy to use, adopting new technologies is never easy, and learning to scale Live Video to a remote workforce is no exception.

In a recent webinar, we were joined by Steve Smith, Instructor and Microsoft Regional Director at Combined Knowledge , who walked us through how to prepare for your first Microsoft Teams Live Event. Here’s an overview of what he shared.

Tips for Setting Up Teams for Live Events

Before your organization can start broadcasting Live Video to hundreds or even thousands of employees, it’s important to prepare your system for the event. Network readiness is the first thing you need to consider. A lot of companies don’t put much thought in this; they just push the button and start sharing. While this isn’t a concern for one-to-one or one-to-few video calls, it can result in event failure for large-scale communications.

Secondly, you need to ensure you have the right licenses in place to broadcast the event to a wide audience. Remember, there are a variety of roles involved in Live Event production: producers, presenters, attendees and, depending on the event, third-party vendors streaming the event through an external app. You will need:

  • An Office 365 Enterprise E1, E3, or E5 license or an Office 365 A3 or A5 license
  • A Microsoft Teams license
  • A Microsoft Stream license

The User preparing the meeting must also have the following settings enabled:

  • Private meeting scheduling in Teams enabled (The TeamsMeetingPolicy -AllowPrivateMeetingScheduling parameter = True)
  • Video sharing enabled in Teams meetings (The TeamsMeetingPolicy -AllowIPVideo parameter = True)
  • Screen sharing enabled in Teams meetings (The TeamsMeetingPolicy -ScreenSharingMode parameter = EntireScreen)
  • Live event scheduling in Teams enabled (The TeamsMeetingBroadcastPolicy -AllowBroadcastScheduling parameter = True)
  • Permissions to create live events in Stream (for external app or device production)

Be aware that a non-authenticated user cannot be a producer or presenter in Teams Live Events.

Live Events Capacity Planning

When planning a Live Event in Teams, you also need to be aware of the platform’s capacity. For events produced in Teams:

  • Maximum audience size: 100,000 attendees through July 1 (Shout out to Microsoft for increasing the limit from 10,000 attendees to support enterprises impacted by COVID-19!)
  • Maximum Live Event duration: 4 hours
  • Maximum number of concurrent Live Events per O365 tenant: 15

Events produced outside of teams, by Skype for example, will have similar capacities, but not all features transfer over between the two. This document from Microsoft breaks it down.

Configure Teams Admin Settings

Microsoft Teams admin center

From a configuration perspective, you need to make sure you’ve enabled the Live Event options. To do this, go into your Microsoft 365 tenant administration and open the Teams admin center. Here you can enable event scheduling, who can join, and who can record.

Manage Events Through PowerShell

PowerShell for Microsoft Teams Live Events

For those who are IT savvy and like to manage events through PowerShell, there is a module for Teams that has all the settings for Live Events enabled. In the PowerShell tool, simply install the Microsoft Teams module which will allow you to control the same settings as the Microsoft Teams admin center. You can also perform management tasks during the meeting like reviewing the number of attendees or pulling reports in PowerShell as well.

Create a Live Event in TeamS

Set Up Microsoft Teams Live Event

Now that Live Events are enabled in Teams, it’s time to create your first event . To do so, open the meetings app in Teams as you would when scheduling a standard meeting. A drop-down should populate with the option to create a new Live Event. Whoever creates the event is the default organizer/producer, and it is their responsibility to invite other presenters to the meeting.

Configure Live Event Options

Configure Teams Live Events

The next step is inviting attendees to join your meeting. First, decide who you want to target your event to. Is it for everyone in the organization, the public, or do you want to limit the scope to a specific audience? (The options you see are predetermined by the settings applied in the tenant app.)

At this stage, you can also set a recording default. If you choose the option to make the recording available to attendees, it will be saved to Stream and be available on demand for those who either could not attend or would like to view the recording later.

Publish the Event

Publish Microsoft Teams Live Event

When you are ready to publish the event, a link will be sent to you. This is the attendee link and it can be shared on any channel to drive traffic to your Live Event. The producer is then responsible for starting the event and recording it.

Learn More about Live Events in Microsoft Teams

There you have it! For more information on planning Microsoft Teams Live Events, watch our on-demand webinar, Live Events in Microsoft Teams Made Easy.

The post How to Plan Your First Live Event in Microsoft Teams appeared first on Kollective Technology .

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10 Tips for Improving Body Language in Live Video

Body language tips

“Albert Mehrabian, a pioneer researcher of body language, found that the total impact of a message is about 7 percent verbal (words only) and 38 percent vocal (including tone of voice, inflection, and other sounds) and 55 percent nonverbal. It’s how you looked when you said it, not what you actually said.”

New York Times

Unlike other communication channels, live video enables you to better connect with your audience by adding context through body language, narrative flow and tone of voice. The unconscious message delivered through video is as important as the message itself and is critical to building trust and credibility, especially during times of disruption as we are experiencing now with COVID-19.

Below are 10 tips you can use to improve your live video body language and communicate more effectively.

1. Fill the screen

Taking up visual space builds confidence with your audience and helps deliver the intened. message. Position yourself close to the camera so you can be seen clearly. Your presentation to the viewer should feel balanced, but deliberately present. However, it’s best to avoid being too close to the camera because this can communicate that you are aggressive. It is important to make the audience feel you are communicating confidently and openly.

2. Eye contact is critical

In live video, eye contact is a powerful tool that can be used favorably to deliver a message and create a sense of connection. The goal is to simulate face-to-face communication through video. The perceived eye contact conveys to the audience that the speaker is attentive, having commitment and conviction in the message and its’ importance.

In the case of live video, look at the camera instead of the screen and alternate by looking at the screen from time to time to prevent the speaker from thinking that you are staring or too robotic. During natural face-to-face communication you maintain eye contact 80% of the time, but look away at different times when thinking or pondering a statement. This conveys authenticity, emotion and “real” communication. By briefly looking away at times the presenter shows active engagement and a concerted effort to think about the importance of the message, and avoids feeling pre-recorded or too rehearsed.

3. Lean back – but only slightly

The position of your body can send visual cues to your audience and impact how receptive they might be to your message. Sitting too far back conveys disinterest, sitting straight up comes across as rigid or inauthentic, and leaning forward is aggressive. Leaning slightly back is proven to be the most effective.

4. Use your hands

Much like an orchestra maestro or conductor waves his hands to communicate, you too can use your hands to set the tempo and emphasis of your message. Gesturing with your hands grabs the attention of your audience and is effective for putting emphasis on critical points in the presentation.

5. Avoid using the same speed and volume

There’s nothing worse than a monotone presenter to put an audience to sleep. The simplest way to catch a viewers’ attention (and keep it!) is to modulate the speed and volume of your voice. Slow down to put emphasis on your most important points.

6. Use a pause

Have you heard the saying, “less is more?” The selective use of a pause puts emphasis on a moment, whether it be after the fact to ensure something is remembered, or before a moment to create anticipation. The smart use of a pause can grab an audience’s attention and make that moment more impactful and memorable.  But remember to use them sparingly, the over-use of a pause can give the perception of not being prepared.

7. Tell a story

Storytelling captivates attention, inspires the imagination and captures the hearts of your audience. It’s the oldest and most effective form of communication. A good story helps build a connection, allowing the audience to think and feel your message. Stories are memorable. Studies have proven time and again that stories speak to the audience in ways that numbers, data and presentation slides simply can’t.

8. Don’t forget to smile (if appropriate)

Clearly we’re in challenging times and smiling might not be appropriate, but we should also celebrate our wins no matter how small they might be.  Staying positive is important and will impact your audience. Allan Pease is an Australian researcher and expert in body language. His research has shown the more you smile, the more positive reactions you will receive from others. Being open and using a smile improves the impact of your communication.

9. Practice makes perfect

It’s a cliché, but it’s true. You don’t want to come across as reading a script, but a certain level of practice ensures there’s a natural and convincing flow to the narrative of your message. You’re looking to achieve a certain balance. Your message should be rehearsed enough to connect your statements to create a convincing message without being monotone and scripted.

10. It’s ok if you mess up – it might even help you

The beauty of live video is that no one expects you to be perfect. It’s intended to be authentic, not over produced. Real people make mistakes and those mistakes make you vulnerable, which makes you more appealing, relatable and successful in communicating your message.

Small mess ups can create a sense of sincerity that can help you connect with your audience. Don’t let your body language ruin the moment by showing stress or frustration. Take a self-deprecating approach when it occurs. Use these moments to create humor, vulnerability and a stronger connection with your audience.

Learn More Live Video Presentation Tips

Live video can be difficult for even the most seasoned professional to master. In our upcoming webinar, “Learn to Present Authentically with Live Video,” we give you actionable advice on how to become an effective presenter.

The post 10 Tips for Improving Body Language in Live Video appeared first on Kollective Technology .

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5 Tips to Supercharge Your Home Office Video Setup

CMMA Blog

With COVID-19 impacting global work environments, millions of employees are transitioning to a new normal – working from home. One of the biggest challenges of teleworking is learning to effectively communicate using live video. Whether presenting to customers or collaborating with teammates, it is essential that your virtual meetings are just as effective as those you would normally hold in-person.

In our new video, Kollective Technology’s Chris Gower, provides five tips to supercharge your home office video setup. We cover:

  1. The importance of holding calls in a controlled environment
  2. How to adjust your video setup to show off your best, most professional side
  3. Advice on how to choose the right backdrop or effect
  4. Tips to improve lighting and overall visibility
  5. Why audio quality is critical to successful call

If you would like to learn more about live video communication for enterprise companies, Kollective is offering a free video strategy consultation with one of our experts. Get started doing video today with help from our video strategists.

Learn more and sign up for an EVS Consultation today.

The post 5 Tips to Supercharge Your Home Office Video Setup appeared first on Kollective Technology .

To view our Partner blog, click here

10 Tips for Leadership on Crisis Management

CMMA Blog

Everyone experiences some form of crisis during their lives. It comes in many forms and often occurs more than once in a lifetime. Sometimes these events feel paralyzing and other times we intuitively know how to work through it. Due to the nature of business, large organizations often find it challenging to navigate periods of crisis. We’ve put together our top 10 steps to help your organization pivot and manage crisis, whatever it may be.

1. Preparation

“Crisis” is usually an uncertain period of time and not a specific event. The preparation comes from the perspective of managing the unknown. Be prepared by acknowledging that you don’t know all the answers and you probably never will, but it is wise to think ahead and understand your scenarios and resources.

2. Active Listening

Active listening is a learned skill and is not something you only practice with your spouse. The most successful organizations are mindful of having people, processes, and technology in place that allows them to be connected with their global organization. Many companies fall into the trap of only listening to outside factors, when internal intelligence is equally as important.

3. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

We’ll say it again, communicate! Frequent communication and collaboration are foundations of the modern workplace. This applies to improving team dynamics, productivity, and allows leadership to stay connected with their global organization. Strong relationships based on communication build trust and unity through transparency. Proper communications allow organizations to be more aligned, enables faster response time, and will increase the chance of success when adapting to change.

4. Always Show Empathy

In challenging times, it’s critical that leaders demonstrate empathy. Relate to your people and build a true connection. If you are authentic, your employees will unite based on the challenges in front of them, even if the outcome is unknown. Showing empathy is difficult with a dispersed workforce and email isn’t going to cut it. Have your leader record a quick video message and distribute it to the whole company. It’s more authentic, shows the human side of the message (and the human), and can demonstrate empathy. Using live video as part of your communication strategy is incredibly effective for serious internal matters.

5. Empower Staff

A high-functioning, healthy organization knows that an empowered staff is more motivated, adapts faster, and will overcome obstacles more successfully. Do they have the proper resources to work remotely? Are they able to communicate and collaborate with each other effectively? Do they feel connected to their leadership and part of the bigger solution? As the reality of more remote workers becomes increasingly likely, empowering your staff is critical to surviving what the future brings.

6. State the Current Situation and What’s Next

You don’t need to have all the answers. It’s critical to acknowledge and state where you are today and what you think is coming next. Communicate a framework for how you will navigate the future, even if the facts and decision are uncertain. You will need to adapt to the unknown, but with the entire organization on the same page, the journey is far less stressful.

7. Control Your Fears & Don’t Over-React

As humans “fear” is almost hardwired into the human psyche. Less than 1% of people have Covid19, yet 99.9% worry and fear the worst. Put plans together and communicate. Preparation and having contingency plans will reduce the fear, even when the future is unknown.

8. Create a Playbook

Think through all the potential scenarios and outcomes that could occur. Evaluate those scenarios and what steps you can take to successfully navigate each one.

9. Set Expectations

Crisis tends to create uncertainty about the future. You will likely not have all the answers for everyone. By setting expectations about your plans, and sharing the cadence and mode of consistent communications, your leadership team will instill confidence during these difficult times.

10. Show Action

For some, the value of showing action seems obvious. For others, fear and the unknown can be paralyzing and stall an organization from taking action. While with crisis there will be many unknowns and variables out of your control, it is still important to show your team that you are taking action for those aspects that you do control. Proactive efforts can go a long way in building trust, keeping your workforce calm and focused on what they can control and/or how they can contribute themselves.

Managing periods of crisis is never easy, but companies that navigate it well will create a stronger, more successful, culture.  Leveraging live video and other modern workplace tools for communication and collaboration greatly increases the likeliness for success in the future.  Contact us today to learn more about how other companies navigated periods of crisis to create their own success.

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The post 10 Tips for Leadership on Crisis Management appeared first on Kollective Technology .

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How to Manage a Crisis with Video Communication

CMMA Blog

Whether or not you have a formal crisis communications plan in place, communicating with your workforce during difficult times is necessary to keep your team, customers, and business moving forward. With dispersed and remote workforces, video is a very successful form of communication that can help curb panic and instill confidence that things will get better.

Below, we have outlined seven benefits of live video communications during uncertain times:

1. Body language and tone matter

More than 90% of human communication occurs through body language. When you can see the person as they speak, you gain a better understanding of how they are feeling. Facial expressions communicate a deeper level of emotion and create a connection that has a significant impact on the delivery of your message. When you can hear the tone of their voice and see their facial expressions, it’s easier to understand the importance of the message being presented and it helps build trust, credibility and integrity that other forms of communication simply don’t offer.

2. Video builds relationships

The quality of your relationship helps you survive the ups and downs that inevitably occur in difficult times. Live video enables you to create a connection, which in turn, boosts the success and strength of your relationships. Using email, audio, or slide shows doesn’t provide the opportunity to build camaraderie with your audience. Face-to-face conversations are always most effective, but in this day and age, that simply doesn’t scale. Live video offers all the same attributes, providing the greatest form of persuasion, engagement, and leadership. Whether it be energizing the culture or navigating challenging times, live video gives you the ability leverage emotion and create a bond between you and your audience.

3. Demonstrate that you value your people

When you get in front of the camera and speak authentically, you show your audiences that you care about them. During a time of crisis or change, having senior leadership take the time to present to them what is known, what is being done, that this will end, and what to do in the meantime will help your workforce understand that you value them. Distributing live video updates will help inform them and help them feel connected and valued within the organization .

4. Create greater efficiency with effectiveness

Scale and efficiency are very important in both large and small organizations, but effectiveness is the true measure of success. If we only focused on efficiency, then why is email so ineffective? How many emails have you received this week that fell flat, lacked true emotion and made no connection? How many emails did you ignore completely? Live video if done in an authentic and transparent way, captures and holds people’s attention. It gives you an authentic and authoritative voice that demonstrates a commitment to your words.

5. Develop unity and alignment

High-functioning, successful organizations have a strong sense of unity and commitment within their teams. Live video is more effective at delivering a message with context and in a convincing manner. When your workforce believes in the vision and understands their role in achieving that vision, you have the ability to achieve employee buy-in and support, even with those employees located around the globe. This unity helps create organizational alignment for greater velocity and success in achieving your goals.

6. Create a common voice and values

We’ve all had it happen… There’s nothing worse than talking to five different people at a company and hearing them explain five different value propositions. You would think they worked at different companies. Achieving a common voice and set of values across a global organization is difficult, but necessary. Listening and watching a sincere leader share their voice and company values can help employees understand and take to heart these messages. Live video allows your leadership to deliver the context. It helps create a memorable narrative and connects concepts together creating a consistent voice and set of values across the company.

7. Create a sense of urgency

Live video has a unique quality of being real and in the moment.  It grabs your attention and creates the unconscious feeling that if you look away, you risk missing something.  It’s raw and captivating for an audience.  Urgency is a powerful emotion that can rally organizations, creating the unity and motivation to take action.

In challenging times such as crisis or change management, the way you communicate is as important as what you communicate. Live video offers many of the benefits and effectiveness of face-to-face communication, while still achieving the scale required. For a limited time, Kollective is offering a free enterprise video strategy consultation with one of our experts. Get started doing video today with help from our experts. Learn more and sign up today: EVS Consultation.

 

The post How to Manage a Crisis with Video Communication appeared first on Kollective Technology .

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Microsoft Teams Adoption Spikes 50% in the Last 4 Months

CMMA Blog

Microsoft Teams has reached 20M daily active users, up 50% in just 4 months. With this rapid adoption, it is obvious that teams all over the world know the value of easily accessible collaboration and communication tools. But Teams isn’t the only player in this field. The competition in the market is fierce .

Building a team is no easy task and creating an environment where all team members have a voice, where discussions can happen in real time, regardless of geography or language barriers and where teams can make business-critical decisions is even harder. That’s why more and more organizations are adopting Microsoft Teams. They know the value of uniting their dispersed workforce to strengthen culture, maximize engagement and, most importantly, increase productivity.

If you have ever been a part of a thriving, balanced and successful team, you know how amazing that can be. Along with their growth announcement, Microsoft has put in time and resources on some very compelling research on “The Art of Teamwork”. Microsoft Teams is designed to help every team achieve it. By following Microsoft’s Art of Teamwork Guide , your team can achieve the following benefits:

  • Team Purpose: Keeps teams focused, fulfilled, and aligned on achieving their objectives.
  • Collective Identity: Fosters a sense of belonging and helps team members work together as a unit.
  • Awareness and Inclusion: Enables teams to navigate interpersonal dynamics and value everyone’s perspective.
  • Trust and Vulnerability: Encourages interpersonal risk-taking in teams.
  • Constructive Tension: Serves as a generative force for new ideas, driving better outcomes.

The overall idea being, if you can achieve those five things within your own team when tensions or conflict arise, rather than pulling the team apart, it will lead to innovation and transformational outcomes including a thriving company culture, enhanced decision making and more engaged team members. And who doesn’t want all of that? If you haven’t already, get your team up and running on Microsoft Teams and put these “Art of Teamwork” ideas into practice.

Are you concerned that Teams adoption and an increase in Live Events will increase the load on your network? That’s where Kollective comes in – easy to demo, easy to try and easy to buy we will help offload up to 99% of the bandwidth used running live events via Microsoft Teams. Get started today for free!!

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