WebEx is addictive. I’ve been a “user” for four years now and I have no intention of kicking the habit. In fact, I loved WebEx so much I joined the company in 2007 (just before we became a part of Cisco). Here’s why I’m hooked…
A habit for highly effective people
I have attended a lot of face-to-face meetings throughout my career, and this time-honored tradition goes on today. But until I discovered online meetings, I never realized how much the time, space and travel expense limitations of meetings can impact your business. Yet many professionals go on doing things this traditional way, insisting on face-to-face meetings for every business need.
Let’s face it, teams are globally dispersed and the world is moving too fast for the traditional approach. I now use WebEx on average 6 times a day, including online meetings, brainstorming, staff updates, all-hands meetings, vendor communication and impromptu problem-solving.
Sometimes the WebEx is combined with a face to face meeting, but 80% of the time I am at my desk. If I had to fly, drive or run down the stairs for every meeting, I couldn’t do it. The productivity gain from meeting online has been enormous for me, and I have not had to sacrifice any effectiveness in my communication.
I enjoy meeting people face to face or with Cisco Telepresence (an amazing immersive experience) but it’s not available at my fingertips all the time. For the job I do, give me WebEx and give it to me now.
Put the show in show-and-tell
Why not just use a conference call? I remember those too. Audio is fine, and it’s relatively inexpensive. Unless of course you count the cost of the long verbal explanations, the misunderstandings, wondering who’s talking, large media files blocked by email, and the inability to quickly get answers to critical questions.
A picture is worth more than a thousand words. I say show me, don’t tell me.
Even when I sit in a physical conference room, I will login to the available WebEx along with the remote participants (most meetings are a mix of face-to-face and online.) Instead of staring at tiny text on a blurry projection screen, I use the WebEx to see clearly on my laptop, and capture and share visual information immediately. No poor admin has to transcribe whiteboard notes to send to everyone the next day. I’m also a slow note-taker, so I like getting the network-based recording of the meeting so I can fill in the blanks later, jumping to just the parts I need.
Wanna try it? Everyone’s doing it. Get a free trial of WebEx and let it take you to the next level.
A new way of working
I am old enough to remember a business world where one person would speak and everyone was expected to pay full attention. This is still a good idea sometimes, like when your boss is presenting.
But let’s be honest. You get invited to some meetings with too many people and no clear agenda. Your role is not really defined and you sit there just in case you’re needed.
For me, the ability to work productively (multi-task) in a WebEx with my digital world at my fingertips is a godsend. I even find myself having sub-conversations around the topic being presented. It’s like kicking someone under the table and passing them a note (in chat) without getting caught. I get the info I need immediately, making me look like a superstar when I’m called on. Hey, you’re only as smart as your resources, right?
If you’ve been to a conference keynote lately, you’ll see the audience behaving the same way. They’ve got their iphones and laptops open, twittering to their social network about what’s being said. Information is flying faster than ever and the multi-tasking work style is being brought into the office by workers (especially Gen Y) at a rapid pace. I’m choosing to embrace reality and join the crowd on this one.
So yeah… I’m hooked on WebEx and I’m not sure I can live without it now. I would survive if you took it away, but you better offer a 12-step program in your health plan.
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