Meeting online over Zoom or other video chat services is turning out to be a very acceptable substitute for meeting in person during our new normal of social distancing. But it also has enabled some poor practices, some of which can damage business relationships. Don’t make a Zoom faux pas. Here are five mistakes to avoid:
Improper positioning of the camera. People want to see your face, not your nasal hair. So, to the extent possible, try to position the camera of your computer, smartphone, or iPad at face level, or just slightly below your face. This can be accomplished perfectly with a desk that adjusts in height, using a tripod for your phone, or simply by putting the computer on top of a few large books. In a recent CNBC interview, the CEO of Norwegian Cruise Lines positioned his computer well below his face, which gave viewers a better view of his nostrils than his full face.
Failing to look at the camera. Some people just don’t know how to make eye contact. They walk around while talking as if they are not participating in a conversation and only engaging in a Zoom meeting so they c an be looked upon. At a minimum, look at your colleagues on the screen. Ideally, spend as much time looking straight into the camera. Eye contact is more important than ever when meeting via Zoom.
Shaking the laptop/phone/tablet. A shaky picture is distracting to the viewer. This can happen when video conference participants hold their smart phones or place their laptops on their fidgety laps. When participating in a business meeting, place your computer smartphone on a firm surface. The picture should be stable. During the Norwegian Cruise Lines interview, the camera was shaky, giving the impression the CEO was on a boat rocking in the middle of a storm—not the impression the head of a cruise line wants to give viewers.
Beware photo backdrops. These can be great fun with friends, but they are technically inadequate for a business meeting and especially for a TV interview. The video tends to blur and flutter between the extremities of the body and the background photo, a lack of distinct separation that can be very distracting. You may appear like a ghost, as parts of your body move in and out of the shot. During a recent non-profit board meeting a colleague used a background of the Golden Gate Bridge covered in fog, a beautiful picture. But when she leaned back in her chair it looked as if she were laying down on the clouds across the bridge, another distraction that made it difficult for those of us on the board to focus on what she was saying.
Avoid embarrassing backgrounds. By joining a video conference, we are inviting people into our homes. Would you invite a business colleague to see your messy bedroom? Business colleagues don’t need to see how well you make your bed. The bedroom is generally not the backdrop you want for business video calls. The background should reflect the image you wish to convey. It should be neat and not distract from the conversation.
Many television reporters have done a nice job of setting up clean backgrounds for their live shots, generally from their living rooms or basements. There are exceptions to this rule, though, that can work. CNBC veteran markets reporter Bob Pisani decided to add some personality to his reports by setting up his home shot in front of a wall of Grateful Dead concert posters. The CNBC audience has known Bob for decades. By revealing the Deadhead side of his personality, Bob gave viewers an added dimension to their relationship with him. Bob tells me numerous viewers have written to applaud his choice of a backdrop.
Most of us, though, are engaging in video conferences with colleagues or business partners who we only know professionally. So, it’s usually best to keep your on-camera look professional even when working from home.