Business English Podcast · Phone & Video Calls · Episode 16

Leading a Video Call When Half the Team Is Remote

A hybrid team meeting: how to chair a video call so remote colleagues are not forgotten — and why "aktuell" is not "actual".

B2 · Dialogue · 4 Min. · free

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Editorially reviewed by James Simmonds – English teacher since 2004Published 26 September 2026

Chairing a Hybrid Video Call in English

SceneDaniel leads the weekly team meeting: three colleagues are with him in the conference room, four are remote. He has to make sure the remote colleagues are not forgotten.

0:00 / 4 Min.

Tip: listen to the episode twice before you start the test. · Worksheet (PDF)

✓ To the comprehension test

Daniel — Team lead, product developmentMarta — Project colleague, joining remotely

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Transcript

The full transcript opens after the comprehension test — so you train real listening instead of reading along.

German support

DanielGood morning, everyone. Before we begin, a quick sound check: we are three people here in the conference room, and four colleagues are joining us remotely. Marta, Tomasz, Lena and Priya — can you all hear us well?

MartaLoud and clear, Daniel. Your picture freezes for a second now and then, but the audio is fine, so we can follow everything you say.

DanielThanks — I'll keep an eye on the connection. One ground rule for our hybrid team today: when I ask a question, I'll bring the remote colleagues in first. It's easy to forget the people on the screen when there's a lively discussion in the room.Eine Grundregel: Bei Fragen hole ich zuerst die Remote-Kollegen herein.

MartaThat's a good idea, honestly. Last week I raised my hand for almost five minutes and nobody in the room noticed, so in the end I just stayed quiet.

DanielI'm sorry that happened — it shouldn't. So today, Tom here in the room will keep an eye on the chat. If you post a question or a comment there, he'll read it out loud for everyone.

MartaPerfect. And one more request: could everyone please stay on mute when they're not speaking? Last time we heard a lot of keyboard noise and a very loud coffee machine from the room.Könnten bitte alle stumm geschaltet bleiben, solange sie nicht sprechen?

DanielAgreed — microphones off until you speak, please. Now to the first agenda point, the customer survey. Marta, you analysed the results, so I'll give you the floor. Take it away.

MartaThank you. Let's look at the actual figures from June first: the satisfaction score dropped by four points, and the number of complaints about delivery times went up quite sharply.

DanielCan I add one small language note, because it really matters? Those are the current figures, not the actual figures. 'Aktuell' is 'current' in English — 'actual' means tatsächlich. It sounds almost identical, and nearly every German speaker mixes it up, including me.Aktuell = current; actual = tatsächlich.

MartaGood point — the current figures, then. Anyway, the score dropped mainly because of delivery times, not because of product quality, so that's where we should focus.

DanielThanks, Marta. We're almost out of time, so let me sum up the action items: Marta sends the survey report by Thursday, Tom checks the delivery data, and I'll take the results to logistics. Does that work for everyone, including the remote side?Lassen Sie mich die Aufgaben zusammenfassen.

MartaWorks for me. And Daniel — thank you for bringing us in properly today. It made a real difference to feel like part of the meeting and not just a face on a screen.

Key phrases

a quick sound check

a short test of the audio at the start of a call

Let's do a quick sound check before the clients join.

to bring someone in

to actively invite someone to speak

The chair brought the remote colleagues in before the room answered.

on mute

with the microphone switched off

Please stay on mute while others are presenting.

to give someone the floor

to formally invite someone to speak

Marta, I'll give you the floor for the survey results.

to keep an eye on

to watch or monitor something

Could you keep an eye on the chat during my presentation?

action items

the agreed tasks after a meeting

Let's sum up the action items before we close.

to sum up

to summarise the key points

To sum up: we deliver on Friday and invoice next week.

hybrid team

a team split between the office and remote work

Hybrid teams need clear rules for who speaks when.

Language notes

A team lead chairs a hybrid weekly meeting so the four remote colleagues get an equal voice: sound check, a "remote first" ground rule, a chat watcher and a clear summary of action items. You learn the key phrases for video calls with mixed teams — including the "aktuell" ≠ "actual" trap (level B2).

Actively including remote colleagues

Three phrases carry the whole meeting: "Can you all hear us well?" for the sound check at the start, "I'll bring the remote colleagues in first" to announce the speaking order, and "I'll give you the floor" to hand someone the word. Add the request "stay on mute when you're not speaking" — phrased politely as a question ("Could everyone please …"), not as a command. The person watching the chat gets a clear job: "Tom will keep an eye on the chat."

Whoever asks, leads: chairing culture on video calls

In German meetings the assumption is often: if you have something to say, you will speak up. In the Anglo-American style the chair is expected to hand out speaking turns actively — especially to remote participants, who can hardly use non-verbal signals. Daniel's "remote colleagues first" rule is therefore not a courtesy extra but standard practice in British and US teams: silence at the other end is read as a warning sign, not as agreement.

Aktuell is not "actual"

The most expensive trap of the meeting is a single word: "aktuell". English "actual" means "tatsächlich, wirklich" — if you say "the actual figures", you mean the real numbers, not the latest ones. The correct word is "current" (or "latest"). Memory aid: "Aktuell = current, tatsächlich = actual." Daniel also shows how to wrap the correction politely: "Can I add one small language note?" — a remark, not a public shaming.

Keep practising: Learn business English online — with real teachers from Simmonds, since 2004.

Frequently asked questions

What language level is this episode for?

Level B2 (CEFR). The dialogue uses clear business English for hybrid meetings; the vocabulary list explains all eight key phrases bilingually.

How do I include remote colleagues in a video call?

In four steps: sound check at the start ("Can you all hear us well?"), announce the ground rule ("I'll bring the remote colleagues in first"), have someone watch the chat, and sum up the tasks at the end ("Let me sum up the action items").

Is there a transcript to read along?

Yes, the full transcript with German support notes is on this page — listen first, then take the test, then read along.

Where can I practise video-call English live?

In the online business English courses from Simmonds Language Services: live lessons with real teachers on Zoom, for companies and individuals across Germany — since 2004. Find out which course fits your level in a free consultation: englisch-lehrer.com/online.

Are the voices real?

Episodes are produced with high-quality AI voices (Hume) and editorially reviewed by our trainer team — the same method as our interactive lessons.

Want to practise these phrases in a real conversation?

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