Cameras on or off - is not as binary as you might think..

You still have the option of playing with time…

Here is a 'safe to fail' experiment that might yield some insights

Here is the outline of how we can blend the use of cameras in a meeting

• Spend the first 5 minutes of a meeting with cameras on, so that people arriving can connect and just ‘be’ with each other- Hypothesis: a new norm begins to emerge where the default is that people join with camera on
• When the focus of the meeting begins, people have the option of turning off their cameras. - Hypothesis: that more would leave their camera on than do so at present
• Schedule in a pause after, say, 25 minutes to check-in and put cameras back on- Hypothesis: The break can be neuro-inclusive, as it provides a few minutes to pause, disengage from the topic, order one's thoughts and reflect
• People can turn them off again as we go into the next focused part of the meeting
• If it's a longer meeting, blend in some breakout rooms with 2 or 3 people in each
• Finish the meeting with an appreciation or wrap-up with cameras on again

Let's share

In this complex area, this feels like a ‘safe to fail’ experiment that might yield some interesting insights

One that you could easily try? If you do, I would love to hear of any insights back here for others to see and build upon

This topic has been a puzzling preoccupation for many of my clients and so hopefully this can nudge us forwards

Putting things out there and iterating the idea

Thank you Prof. Amanda Kirby and Natalie Wood This experiment arises from thoughts stimulated by your feedback on my post earlier this week on The no cameras conundrum - blending in neurodiversity