From the course: Executive Presence on Video Conference Calls

Expectations and preparation

From the course: Executive Presence on Video Conference Calls

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Expectations and preparation

- If you're scheduled to have an in-person meeting would you prepare for it and look the part? Well chances are you would. Just because you're now meeting through video that doesn't mean the effort you put into it should be any less. For some, this video meeting may be the first time others will see you. Which means first impressions are still very important. Now before we dive into how to prepare for a video meeting, let's set the stage for what you can expect once you dial in. Acknowledge that it's going to feel different communicating, meaning it may feel a bit awkward cause you're talking to a camera instead of in front of others. If you're video conferencing with a group of people, acknowledge that there maybe some silence or people may be speaking over each other during a discussion period. All that is okay because it's just part of the environment. Knowing this before you start, and understanding the dynamics will take the surprise factor out of it. So let's start by breaking down the possible scenarios you might find yourself in when doing a video call. The first scenario is, you're giving a video presentation to several people in a conference room and people are dialing in to listen to you. If you have a PowerPoint presentation prepared understand that those watching from their computers will likely see your whole PowerPoint on their full screen. They may see you in the beginning but once you start talking the PowerPoint presentation will be the focal point. This means, keep your PowerPoint presentation, high level with minimal text and add any visuals that support your points. People love visuals that captures or explains. So try incorporating that in. Just think about it, it's all they're going to be seeing while listening to your voice since the presentation will be a full screen. So this means you don't want your PowerPoint to be distracting or dense. Doing so might distract them from listening to what you're actually saying. The second scenario is, you might find yourself leading a live discussion with multiple team members who are also spread across different cities. If you're the person leading this group discussion, a great way to prepare for this is to create an agenda to distribute to everyone on the call beforehand so there can be an organized flow. Because you're not all in the same room, it may be hard to control productivity and direction of the conversation. So having an agenda to keep things on track is a great way to show preparation and leadership. The third scenario is, you might find yourself in a one-on-one meeting where you're doing a video meeting with just one other person. To prepare, have all your materials in front of you, ideally printed or written out beforehand. This is important because while you're in a video meeting you don't want to be toggling between your screen and your browser. You want to be looking at the camera like you're listening and concentrating during the conversation just like how you would in person. It's a sign of respect and just because you're on video it's not any different.

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