Engaging Virtual Meetings

2Preparing for Virtual Meetings

Good Looks—The Virtual Presence Primer

If you want an engaging virtual meeting, look good. Be camera ready. Clean up. Dress as you would for an in-person meeting. Check your teeth and your hair. Make sure everything in your background supports who you are.

Here is a picture of me on my computer hosting a virtual meeting.

What do you see in my background?

What does it mean to you?

What does it tell you about me without me saying anything?

Everything in my background is there for a purpose.

In this example, there are awards, books, pictures, and personal items to tell you something about myself and the company I work for.

I use two LED light panels and a microphone to give my attendees my best presence. Using two lights removes dark shadows and ensures that my face is lit up well. Television studios use this technique to make sure their subjects look good. Bright lighting also helps your attendees see you clearly. If you have very little light, it takes longer for video cameras to collect enough light and an attendee will see a blurry video if you are moving around. This results in the attendee having to use more brain cycles to understand what your video panel is doing, resulting in more video fatigue for your attendees. In the Engaging Virtual ...