Ten tips for on-screen meetings and presentations
- publish258
- Apr 27, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 10
On Zoom or Teams, make sure you are present visually, verbally and vocally, says Novaro author, Sarah Thurstan
It is easy to forget to bring the best version of yourself to on-screen meetings and presentations on platforms such as Zoom and Skype, says Sarah Thurstan, author of Personal Presence: How speakers authentically engage, a title from Novaro published on 23rd April 2020. Here are her ten tips for how to best go about winning over an on-screen audience:
Be present or in the moment at all times. You can then focus and gauge the level of the ‘room’.
Just as in a live presentation, be authentic and make it conversational, rather than dictated or scripted.
Know that back-to-back on-screen meetings are emotionally and physically draining. Why? Because you are working harder than normal to get your message across.
Speak distinctly and clearly. People are less likely to ask you to repeat yourself in an on-screen meeting and they will lose interest if they can’t hear you or you are muffling your words.
Be sure to check that the camera on your laptop or tablet is levelled correctly so that your whole face and upper body can be seen. Position it at least three feet away. I have seen a lot of the tops of people’s head or just close-ups of their noses or necks.
Remember that your posture is just as important as face to face to show energy and engagement. So sit up and take a breath before going online.
As it is difficult or impossible to gauge any eye contact, always try to use your eyes to convey thoughts along with nodding and acknowledgement.
Listen and allow people time to respond without interruption.
Make sure you aren’t the person texting or doing other work while in the meeting. People will know and feel disrespected.
Be aware that you will miss the warmth and companionship of others in the room. Allow yourself to understand the strain that it may have on you.
▪ Sarah Thurstan's book, 'Personal Presence: How speakers authentically engage' was published by Novaro, April 2020. See here for further details.
