Like it or not, we now work in a world of virtual meetings and home working. This new reality we live in is relatively new, and there are many habits we should beware of when meeting with others virtually. In this article, I'm going to outline ten great habits to make your next virtual meeting room seem like you're meeting face to face.
Video Tips:
1) When you have something important to say, look into the camera. This will give that critical eye to eye contact, which is always missed when meeting virtually.
2) Screen position: Your screen should be level with you so that you're not looking down or up at the camera. This can give the wrong impression.
3) Ideally, you should have a light source in front of you. If you have your back to a window, the camera will attempt to compensate, and you will appear dark on camera. If you can't move into a position where the light source is in front of you, get a lamp and turn it on during meetings.
4) Look at everyone in the meeting. Zoom supports up to 49 people and Teams has just increased their headcount on the screen to 9. Be aware of the room and look for reactions when you speak.
Audio Tips:
5) Make sure there is no hiss, pop or echo from your microphone. A quality audio connection is crucial during a meeting.
6) Background noises, typing or rustling of paper at your desk can be distracting. Attempt to consider what noise you might be making that the mic is picking up.
7) If you are not speaking, put yourself on mute.
Quality of Connection:
8) If you have slow internet at home, ask your family to stop streaming if you have an important call.
9) Consider using an ethernet cable instead of WiFi for more stable connections.
10) Test your setup before important meetings to ensure everything works properly.
