You know that really good friend who will always tell you what you need to hear? Chartreuse is not your best color. You have toothpaste on your chin. It doesn’t matter if you like water, it’s good for you—drink it.
In the world of near-daily Zoom meetings, each of us has the opportunity to be that friend—that coach– to each other, boosting our collective credibility and avoiding the slip ups that may garner an eye-roll instead of agreement with our ideas.
Think of the calls you’ve been on in the past three months. How might helpful insight from a co-worker have made your calls better?
- Who looked confident and engaged?
- Who exhibited a space that reflected their personality?
- Whose home office needs a good de-cluttering (no names, please)?
- Whose camera shot was more ceiling than face, with a rotating ceiling fan that hypnotized the viewer?
The Total Package
Just as you would in a workplace conference room, you notice the visual cues that give color to people’s words. You see who has great eye contact, who looks disinterested and who is on the edge of their seat. As in most work settings, you have the opportunity to be a great coach on the combination of content, delivery and environment that is most effective for your group.
The Medium is the Message
The obvious difference in today’s remote meetings is that Zoom has given us a sneak peek into our co-workers’ space and in many cases, their lives. What you have to say is much more important than the painting on the wall behind you, yes. But if your environment is a distraction, your point may fall on deaf ears— or ears focused on the sound of the dog barking in the background or the six-year-old’s request for more juice.
First, turn your video on. Your colleagues and clients want to see you. The black rectangle emblazoned with only your name is not nearly as collegial as even a still shot of you.
Your Zoom ‘shot’ should enhance your connectivity with others—not be a distraction. That goes for both video and audio. Backgrounds that give us a glimpse into who you are are fine, but we don’t necessarily need to know your obsessions. Many have found inexpensive ways to create neutral home backdrops.
Books are a great way to frame your shot. Repurpose that old thesaurus to raise your camera to eye level.
Lighting matters. Position yourself so that light falls on your face. Windows provide great light, but are not a good background, as the backlight leaves your face in shadow.
Mute is your friend. Actually, mute is everyone’s friend. Contractors, children, spouses and pets in the background can derail everyone’s attention. And, if your bedroom is your home office, make sure the person napping just out of camera range doesn’t begin to snore when you make an important point.
Practice Zoom Etiquette
Avoid eating during a call. No one wants to see you chew directly into the camera.
Put your cell phone on silent. If there’s a call you absolutely must take, post a chat to the group that you’ll be right back. Put your photo on screen and mute your mic. Disable the sound for notifications.
If you have to step away mid call–everyone needs to sneeze on occasion–pop up your photo briefly and mute. When you’re ready to rejoin the meeting, go live again with video.
Put me in, Coach
We’re all players in the video meeting game, but your role as Zoom coach can elevate you to MVP. It doesn’t work on every call or with every group, but if you’re in a tic-tac-toe-sized or smaller call, take a minute at the end to offer constructive criticism to each other on your Zoom presence. Keep your comments positive and encouraging and be prepared to take their suggestions for you with equal grace and in the spirit with which you’re sharing.
The result: colleagues who are confident their message is being heard and meetings that are focused and productive, no matter where they’re taking place.