Blog
Insights on online meetings, events and human connection.
Reflections and practical ideas about meaningful gatherings at a distance — by Emilie van Rappard, Founder of MeetingMasters Online
August 14, 2026
Back to the office: the answer to the wrong question
More and more employers are fixing the number of office days. But the argument isn't about where people work — it's about cohesion. And nobody talks about that any more.
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July 13, 2026
Not the same. Still good.
Most gatherings were already ineffective before they went online. Online only made it more visible. Success depends on the method, not the medium — the question is never 'online or offline?' but 'what has to happen here?'
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June 30, 2026
Back and forth. Work from home — or return to the office?
Work from home, or a duty to come in? The argument swings back and forth. But the place is a side issue — what counts is how you really connect people, wherever they work.
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June 10, 2026
We have all got the hang of online by now.
Making contact online is a craft of its own. And that's good news, because far more is possible than most people think.
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May 27, 2026
What gamers know about being together online that organisations still have to learn
Gamers have known for years how being together online works — with their own etiquette and a surprising amount of connection. Organisations still have plenty to learn from them.
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May 13, 2026
Circles versus squares
The shape of your online environment shapes how people behave. Boxes invite broadcasting and waiting; circles invite moving, choosing and running into each other.
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April 15, 2026
System rage in online meetings: it wrecks more than you realise
Frustration with technology is an underrated factor in online sessions. Anyone still recovering from a technical fight isn't connecting with the content — engagement starts at the login, not at the first agenda item.
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April 1, 2026
The AI paradox: why meetings are worth more now
AI is taking over the routine work. But the moment someone says 'hold on, I see this differently' and a conversation changes the whole direction? That's where machines fall short. It only happens when people genuinely meet.
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March 25, 2026
The rule of eight: when a group stops running itself
Groups of up to eight people regulate themselves naturally. Beyond that the dynamic changes completely. Every meeting with more than a handful of people is a design question — not just a logistical one.
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March 4, 2026
Blaming online
The limits of online actually create opportunities. They force you to design a meeting on purpose. Focus on real interaction rather than leaning on the social extras, and every format gets better.
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February 7, 2026
An online home for former Olympians worldwide
A video call is a tool. An online meeting place is something else entirely. Together with MeetingMasters, the World Olympians Association built e-OLY House — a digital space where real connection happens without a compulsory programme.
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