Video conferencing is an essential communication tool for modern businesses and their team members. As such, we wanted to share some tips that can help everyone involved, from the conferencing veteran to the remote work newbie. Here are four.
Test Your Technology Before Meeting
So, you try signing into a meeting, only to find your connection unstable and your fellow participants unable to hear you…not good. Anyone who has experienced these kinds of frustrations before can attest that it is anything but fun, and worse, can seriously hinder productive communications and irritate everyone involved. To avoid this, take a few moments before you are due to meet to confirm that your technology is working and your connection is stable. This will help ensure that you’ve done everything you can to help ensure your meeting is collaborative.
Stick to the Schedule
Should an agenda have been shared outlining the plan for the meeting—something which is always recommended—it is important that you do everything you can to follow it. If you have a question or thought pertaining to something off-topic, make a note of it instead of derailing the meeting and take steps to follow up later.
Similarly, if someone joins the meeting late, skip reiterating what has already been covered. Instead, have someone prepared to bring them up to speed on anything that they need to know afterward. Meetings can only go so long, so don’t waste time repeating yourself when you could be making progress.
If You Aren’t Speaking, Keep Yourself Muted
This one is largely a courtesy to those you are meeting with, but whether or not you’re intending to make noise, your microphone could easily be picking up more than you mean it to as you’re trying to sit quietly. This means that—again, whether or not you mean to—you could easily distract from the task at hand, and in a potentially embarrassing way. Muting yourself helps eliminate these issues.
The same goes for any visual distractions that may pop up in your video feed, like a sneezing fit or activity in the background. Try to minimize them as much as possible, deactivating your camera if need be. Your team will appreciate your efforts to keep from making a scene.
Keep Notes
Regardless of whether someone has been tasked with taking notes, you should take some notes for yourself as well. Not only will this help you stay apprised of your own responsibilities, it will help you keep track of what has been discussed and potentially allow you to have greater insights after the meeting has ended.
With Any Luck, These Tips Will Elevate Your Video Conferences
Feel free to reach out to us for more information and assistance, and make sure to inquire about a network audit so we can confirm that you have the resources necessary to effectively host remote conferencing. Call 800.618.9844 to get started today!
