Try these 5 tips to enhance your online meeting experience
Moving from a place where I rarely had a meeting, let alone an online meeting to a fully remote position where there are often meetings virtually I have had to learn some new skills to make these meetings the best experience possible.
Here are 5 tips I have learned for a better virtual meeting:
- Be a better listener:
It makes sense that you would rely so much on non-verbal communication. I am used to verbal fillers such as “uh huh”, or “yeah” for example. However, I noticed that with more people this seemed to distract from the conversation. I am learning to listen and rely on non-verbal communication more than verbal affirmations.
- Waiting to speak:
Listening for when the person has finished a thought before I jump in with my thoughts or reply can be very helpful. Speaking too soon and it can disrupt the other persons flow- so allowing for that pause or end of their thought before speaking is a good idea. This is true in person or online- but really is helpful with the online chats.
- Non-verbals help a lot:
Smile often. Certainly not at an inappropriate time, but smiling can show the other person you are listening, engaged, and following along. Everyone likes a smile- so bring your smile game to that online meeting. Nodding to show engagement and that you are listening.
- Look at the camera
This one takes practice.
I admit it’s kind of annoying to gaze into a camera lens. Who am I, Ron Burgandy? Reminding yourself that this is the online equivalent of making eye contact, and it gets a bit easier. Try to make a point to look into the lens a few times while someone is talking to me to “make eye contact”- and when it’s my turn to speak, I try to do most of the words looking at that camera as well.
- Lighting, lighting, lighting:
I underestimated the need for good lighting when first setting up my workspace. Having the right lighting not only requires avoiding backlighting, but also having the right amount of light on your face while in a meeting. I bought a remote work light to clamp onto my desktop to turn on when in a meeting to just the right amount. Depending on the day, the light needs change as well- so be prepared to set up your workspace lighting differently depending on the time of day.