There has been much ado lately about Zoom etiquette (particularly, what NOT to do) and optimising your online presence. Since I’ve facilitated a number of Zoom sessions in the past few months, I thought I’d add my two cents’ worth and share a few tips!
Introductions/Ice-breakers
If you’re the host and don’t know your participants, ice-breakers can be fun. You can use polls (“What part of the country are you joining us from?”) or the chat function (“Type one word that describes your past weekend.”) to engage your audience.
And even if it’s your team, get creative by using polls and the chat box to feel your people’s pulse! This will set the stage for a more light-hearted discussion and give you more command as a speaker and facilitator.
Online presence
When it’s your turn to speak, try and look into the camera once in a while, rather than at the screen or off to the side, like I’ve seen so many people do. It may seem counter-intuitive, but it’ll significantly enhance your online presence and make you look engaged.
I personally keep a sticker right next to my laptop camera as a reminder to look up while I’m speaking:
(As a side note, some argue that having the camera on at all times constitutes good etiquette. I don’t think that’s necessary. Consider asking people to turn on their cameras for a few minutes at the very beginning and the end so you can all see each other. Then have them turn the cameras off to reduce bandwidth usage).
Managing energy levels
Sitting in front of a screen for hours is hard on the human physiology. Make sure you take frequent breaks, stretch, and take your eyes off the screen to ease the strain. When speaking, keep your head aligned with your shoulders and sit/stand up tall. All these small adjustments will help improve your energy levels so that you can think better, even enhance your voice projection, and maintain the confident persona we are as a speaker.
With the unpredictability of the times, meeting virtually whenever possible is part of the new normal. It’s worth it to prepare your Zoom presence well!
Let’s talk about how I can help you radiate more energy and leadership charisma in an online environment. Book your free discovery call with me today.
