Have you ever been a participant in an audio, web or video conference? If so, has anything annoyed you during the conference? If you’re like most people the answer is a resounding “yes’! Let me guess what might have annoyed you during the conference:
• Participants multitasking
• Participants checking email or surfing the web
• People leaving the room
• Side conversations
• People noticeably zoning out
• Participants not shutting their office door
• Participants eating and drinking
• Cell phone interruptions
• Lack of eye contact on video
If you are participating in (or hosting!) a conference, take a moment to remember etiquette for meetings. The same “rules” apply whether you are meeting in-person or in some virtual manner. With the introduction of web conferencing and video via webcams, the offenses above are even more noticeable and disruptive than they were on a purely audio conference.
Best practices include:
• Act just as you would at an in-person meeting
• Turn of cell phones
• Don’t check email, surf the web, or multitask
• Don’t rustle paperwork or fidget with items on your desk
• Don’t conduct side conversations
• Shut your office door
• Dress appropriately if you are on camera
• Do not eat or drink
• If using cameras be sure to make eye contact; remember that means looking into the webcam when speaking, not just at your computer monitor
• Above all, pay attention!
With attention to these particulars, you will be focused, engaged, and a valuable contributor to your next virtual meeting.
