One of the major technological breakthroughs in modern history has been in the ability for businesses large and small to meet without ever being physically located in the same room. Not only can video conferencing improve collaboration and conserve financial resources but it is also a huge time-saving factor that all but eliminates travel time. All participants can be present no matter where they are located as long as they have a reliable internet connection and video conferencing software on their computer or mobile device. However, this leaves a whole new area of business etiquette which is yet to be defined and in recent years a set of ‘do’s and don’ts’ has been widely accepted as what is acceptable and what is not when invited to a video conference.
Time Is of the Essence
This oft used and cliché expression may seem inappropriate for a video conference that saves untold amounts of travel time to and from meetings but that doesn’t negate the importance of being on time for the meeting. How frustrated do you get when being scheduled a doctor’s appointment and told that if you are not 15 minutes early you will need to be rescheduled only to wait over an hour to be seen. This type of behavior is unacceptable in a video conference setting.
Introductions Are in Order
This tip comes from the California based technology giant, Cisco. As a company that offers networking solutions for businesses of all sizes, they are happy to work with highly trained Cisco authorized resellers. It is not unusual to hold video and teleconferences with distributors and resellers to keep them apprised of any company updates in methodology as well as technology. Since Cisco products are the leader in the industry, new resellers are always joining the team and introductions are crucial. The meeting should begin on time and every participant should introduce himself or herself. If a meeting moderator is on hand, he or she may call the conference to order and call on each participant to give a brief introduction before the actual meeting commences.
Be Mindful of Who Has the ‘Floor’
In a recent poll, those viewing the presidential debates were asked what they liked about certain candidates and what they found unattractive. Invariably those polled indicated that some candidates lacked manners. They would repeatedly interrupt the others on the stage when they had the floor and many of those polled changed their voting preference based on this disrespectful behavior. When in a video conference it is even more difficult to hear what others are saying and so it is even doubly important to let the person who has the ‘floor’ finish before interjecting your comments. It is no different than a meeting in a physical location would be, just a little harder to accomplish because it is harder to gain control of the ‘room’ once it reaches levels of chaos.
Speak Clearly, Not Loudly
Once upon a time older folks would pick up the telephone and shout “Y’hello?” It was ‘excused’ because they were probably of an age to have grown up with phones with the earpiece in one hand and the microphone on the wall. Few are still alive that remember those days but somehow young and old alike tend to raise their voices, sometimes to a fever pitch, when speaking on the phone. It has been noted that many people do this during a video conference. It is much better to speak slowly and enunciate clearly than it is to yell! Yelling will do nothing but cause reverberation and feedback at the other end of cyberspace and will not help your cause at all. When it’s time to speak, remember, today’s audio electronics are state-of-the art and very, very efficient. There is no need to scream.
Non-Verbal Communications
While slightly different, non-verbal communications are just as essential in a video conference as they would be at a local meeting. Here are some non-verbal reminders to be aware of:
- Do keep movements to a minimum even when you aren’t speaking.
- Raising your hand to be acknowledged does no good because the moderator probably doesn’t have everyone on screen at the same time.
- Maintain eye contact (camera contact?) when speaking just as you would in person.
- Dress and sit professionally. Just because you may be at home in the family room doesn’t mean you should lay back in the recliner with your feet up in your lounging sweats. This ‘is’ a business meeting after all and you should dress and act like you would when heading to a meeting with any peer or client.
So, as you can see, video conferencing is handled in much the same way as a meeting would be in a board room but with certain limitations. Today’s technology makes audio and video so realistic that you will feel like you are in the same room with other participants and that’s why more and more businesses are saving time and money using this technology. These are just a few examples of how and how not to behave to give you an idea of proper video conferencing etiquette. The key takeaway is to treat each and every video conference as a business meeting and you will know how to behave.
