It’s been a year and change since Zoom became a verb and we all learned how to use the cameras on our laptops. In that time, books, web sites, consulting firms and everyone’s Aunt Edna have been offering advice on how to conduct ourselves in virtual meetings.
And thank goodness for that. Without the help of just about everyone, we may never have gotten so far, so quickly. Let’s take a moment and tally our successes: We now know that we can conduct school on virtual platforms, that choirs can rehearse without being in the same room, that medical appointments can be conducted from home, that worship services can be held without gathering, that families can share milestones from around the globe, and, yes, that work can be performed without being in the same building.
Even after acknowledging the gaps in connectivity, equipment and digital literacy that still exist, you’d have to say: This is amazing. People who may never have imagined themselves hosting or even attending a virtual meeting are as familiar with the technology as seasoned veterans.
What’s next? I have an idea: Let’s go from familiarity to mastery. If virtual meetings are going to remain in our lives — and it’s hard to argue otherwise — then it’s time to up our game. At least, that is, in our work lives. Go ahead and let it all hang out when it comes to your weekly get-together with friends or family. But when it comes to work, why not be the one who always looks prepared and professional?
Authors Karin Reed and Joseph Allen want to help with that goal. Their book, “Suddenly Virtual: Making remote meetings work” (Wiley 2021), covers virtual meetings from two areas of expertise. Reed (CEO, Speaker Dynamics) brings her background in teaching on-camera communication skills to business professionals, while Allen (Professor of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, University of Utah) offers a more academic discussion of the science of meetings.
The result is a book that provides specific advice for effective use of the virtual medium while also giving the research behind what makes meetings work — or not. After all, it’s not as if meetings were so great when they were only held in-person. It makes sense that the combination of good planning and good execution would be needed, regardless of format.
That said, when it comes to virtual meetings, the format is definitely part of the challenge. Here are three things I learned from Suddenly Virtual.
1. Turn the camera on. Well, doh, right? It’s a video meeting, after all. As it turns out, a surprising number of participants keep the camera off during video sessions. The reasons probably range from the personal (bad hair day) to the professional (my home background will distract others), but the results can be unintentionally harmful for the “absent” participant.
For example, Allen cites instances where the not-visible workers became invisible to the meeting host, who no longer acknowledged their presence. This might be something you can afford when attending a community meeting, but having your boss forget you exist? Not so smart.
2. Frame the shot. By now we all know to remove the dirty dishes and wine bottles from the counter behind us. But how much do you know about putting yourself in the shot? It’s nice to have guidelines for how much ceiling should appear (none), and where the camera should be pointed (level with your eyes).
Reed also provides tips on lighting, audio, external vs. internal cameras, large-scale monitors and other equipment issues you might not have considered when first jumping into this medium a year ago.
3. Determine if the meeting is needed at all. Apparently it’s going to take more than a pandemic to kill “meeting creep” — the default concept that every issue needs a team to meet about it before anything can happen. Indeed, meeting creep might actually feed on virtual processes. Without the logistical barriers of travel and, to some extent, time zone differences, people are “free” to meet remotely for any reason. But that doesn’t mean they should. Substituting emails or phone calls for some topics will give more meaning to both remote and in-person meetings.
However you improve your virtual meeting skills, this is a good time to make that commitment. I have a feeling we’re on the cusp of expecting a higher level of professional presence from our remote workers, now that we’ve mostly learned how (and when) to operate the mute button.
Amy Lindgren owns a career consulting firm in St. Paul. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com.
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