The Internet and advancing technology have made it relatively easy for people of all ages to stay connected and communicate with one another. The period of unfamiliarity with video conferencing and chat applications is clearly over as there are millions of people around the world using this form of communication daily.
The Daily Caller reported back in September 2013 that 21 percent of Americans used their cell phones for communicating via video. In the years that have passed since then, that statistic has only increased.
Video conferencing is even used today as an effective workplace tool for business owners and executives – from conducting interviews to hosting international conferences within virtual boardrooms. With the rising popularity of this form of business communication, though, it is imperative to keep the following points in mind when it comes to proper video conferencing etiquette and what you should never do.
Related articles
Do Not Try to Sneak into the Conference Discreetly
Most phone and video conference tools or applications, such as those provided by BlueJeans, allow participants to chime in and introduce themselves either by accessing the chat room during the session or mentioning their names as they log in. However, if you are running a bit late or just want to monitor the call from the sideline without actively participating, chances are that you will try to “sneak” your way into the session. Perhaps you will log in after the session has already started without introducing yourself with hopes of just blending in with the other participants.Inc magazine made it clear in a January 2011 article that you should never avoid introducing yourself when logging into a video conference – especially if you plan to participate at some point during the call. It is always a little confusing and slightly chaotic when people that you did not even know were on the call start adding to the conversation or Q&A session. In addition to forcing the conference host to scramble, it can also be confusing to the other participants. Log into the session on time (or even 10-15 minutes early) to give yourself plenty of time to introduce yourself and be properly introduced to the host and other conference participants as they chime in as well.
Never Yell into the Microphone
Inexperienced video conference participants seem to always feel the need to take extremely loud when it is their turn to contribute to the conversation. Some may even get to the point where they are basically yelling into the microphone to ensure that everyone can hear them. Perhaps this is due to the fact that you are not able to see the body language and physical responses of the people listening to you. It is essentially like how people react when talking to nearby people while wearing headphones – almost instinctively raising their voices even though those listening can hear them just fine.To preserve proper video conferencing etiquette, avoid yelling or raising your voice too high when it is your turn to speak. If the conference host or participants let you know that they cannot hear you, the best thing to do is to focus on your equipment or conferencing software. Adjust the level of your microphone to ensure it clearly picks up your voice at its natural volume. It is always helpful to remember that – whether you are using your cell phone, tablet or computer – you are speaking through a microphone. Since you more than likely would not yell into a microphone attached to a lectern in a room filled with people, you should never yell into a microphone during a video conference.
Avoid Interrupting Other Speakers at All Times
During face-to-face conversations, people seem to naturally feed off of each other’s input. In heated debates and discussions, it is even common to interrupt one another to correct a point that was just referenced or a statement that just made. Proper communication etiquette offers the reminder that you should never interrupt another person while they are talking. Naturally, this particular rule seems to get broken numerous times – especially during passionate discussions or complex instructional sessions.While participating in a video conference, however, it is vital to follow this rule to the tee. In addition to being rude by interrupting other speakers, you also run the risk of ruining the structure and integrity of the conference environment. It is hard to enough to stay focused and engaged for the average video conference participant – especially when you consider the vast number of distractions that can easily emerge around them while they are trying to pay attention to this virtual meeting. Unexpected interruptions wreck the flow of the conversation and can effectively cause other participants to disengage themselves to focus on other things that are less chaotic.
0 comments:
Post a Comment