| The manner
in which a person makes a presentation is important
in face-to-face meeting but it is a crucial aspect of
a Video Conference meeting. Listed on this page are
some guidelines and presentation tips that will be helpful
for your next Video Conference.
What to Wear
Solid shades of blue or gray are usually best. These
colors (depending on the background) bring out healthy
skin tones and do not create a visual distraction. On
a television monitor, black and white clothing colors
can also enhance the skin tones, however, if they contrast
sharply with your skin tone, it is usually best to wear
a less contrasting color. Similarly, try not to dress
in colors that match your skin and hair tones. These
will tend to wash out your natural coloration. Avoid
wearing red, green and orange, especially in bright
or bold shades. These colors can cause an unfriendly
hue that is distracting to the viewer.
Sounds and Movements
Noises that you may not notice in a personal meeting
can become distracting in a Video Conference. Avoid
tapping on a desk, whispering to others or shuffling
papers. Modern high quality microphones are designed
to pick up even the softest voice, so while whispering
may seem harmless, the parties on the other end of your
Video Conference may hear every word you speak.
Avoid unnecessary movements such
as rocking in a chair or moving side to side. Video
systems are sensitive to motion and movements you make
that may seem slight can be magnified depending on the
framing of your position in the video window. Allow
the viewer to concentrate on what you have to say and
not on the movements that you make. If you do move substantially,
do so when trying to emphasize a statement or key phrase
as you speak. In this way, you can use the cameras to
your advantage by allowing a key word or phrase to create
a picture as well as a statement.
Speaking and Eye Contact
Eye contact is important and Video Conferencing systems
are quite good at transmitting facial expressions including
the line of your eyes. When speaking, look towards the
monitors and gesture as you would if the other parties
were sitting right in front of you. The camera is usually
located above the monitor and this makes it unnecessary
to look directly at the camera in order to look natural
as you speak. Instead, look at the monitors that will
be showing you the images of the other meeting participants.
Managing Motion and Sound
Delay
Meeting through a Video Conference is very similar to
a face-to-face meeting except some participants may
be half-way around the world. This can cause some important
differences in the way we interact. Most people tend
to interrupt one another in meetings and we do this
without even thinking about it. Video Conference meetings
highlight interruptions especially when there is a slight
delay between speakers due to the network connection.
This usually happens when network connections are of
slow speed and over long distances. Do your best to
be patient while waiting to speak. Wait until a speaker
is finished talking before you begin to speak
|
