Presenting in the COVID-19 World: How to present effectively via video or teleconference, part 2

By: Copie Harris & Carla ávila

Presenting your authentic self: how to appear competent, confident and natural when presenting from home via video or teleconference.

This is Part 2: we addressed conference calls first, in our previous post, and now it’s time for video conferencing tips.  

We believe that practice and working with a coach is really the only way to improve. Reading an article about verbal and non-verbal skills, while helpful, is akin to reading an article about improving your tennis or golf game and expecting to play better right away.  Call us at +1-508-259-7496 or email us at [email protected] to set up a conference or video practice session.

Videoconference Tip #1:  Prepare in advance, both for the verbal and the non-verbal impact of your video

We say this all the time, and it’s worth repeating: preparation is crucial.  There are effective ways to prepare both your content (the verbal part of the video) and the non-verbal part.  First, the verbal.  

1. Write bullet point notes for what you want to say. If you’re the host of the call, decide what the agenda and the goal of the call are.  Try to limit your back-to-back calls to 25 minutes, or to 55 minutes at a maximum. This will give you time to prepare and take a breath before your next call.
2. Set up your at-home office space: have your computer or tablet charged and ready, and make sure to have a pad of paper and a pen or pencil as backup.  Pour yourself a glass of water and coffee or tea, if you drink it.
3. Dress and groom yourself as if you were in the office and plan your environment: remember that people can focus on more than just you when you’re on video.  Make sure that what people see behind you looks professional; as you may know, with Zoom and some other video providers, you can choose a premade background.  We recommend that you explore these to see if one works for you.

As for dressing and grooming, we’ve been on multiple video calls recently where people look as though they’ve just rolled out of bed--and some when participants are dressed from the waist up, but when they stand, we see that they’re actually wearing pajama bottoms.  This can detract from your credibility.

1. Set up your lighting carefully, even if you’ve chosen a premade background.  We have been experimenting with close colleagues or family members to see what lighting works best.  At one point, a family member commented that Copie’s lighting made her look 10 years older! We’ve discovered that backlighting works well.  

Videoconference Tip #2: When your call begins, set expectations

Tell everyone how much time you’ve allotted for the call, and lay out the ground rules.  Tell everyone the goal of the call or the hoped-for outcome. Everyone on the call should identify him/herself.  If you’re the call’s “master of ceremonies” and if there are more than three people on the call, YOU should be the one to perform introductions.  This can be a significant time-saver on those large and often unwieldy video conferences.

We believe that everyone on a video call should have a clearly defined role and a chance to speak.  Make sure to manage expectations: for instance, if you know that the call will be interrupted by late arrivals, let the other call participants know that too.

Video Conference Tip #3: Make sure that your video conference accomplishes something

How often do you finish a meeting and think to yourself, “That was a waste of time!” To ensure that your call accomplishes something, make sure that you summarize the goal of the call at the call’s conclusion.  Outline the action steps that you’d like people to take at the end of the call and emphasize what you’ve accomplished. Aim for brevity and clarity and respect your viewers’ time.  

Videoconference Tip #4: Pay attention to where you’re looking.  If you’re using your laptop, pay attention to your camera’s location.  On some newer laptops, the camera is at the base of the monitor, which means that you need to look down as you speak, rather than looking into your audience’s eyes.  This can be disconcerting; however, it’s best to look at the camera, particularly as you’re listening. When you’re speaking, you may look at your listener’s eyes some of the time, as long as you make sure to also look into the camera lense.  

During these past few weeks of “social distancing,” we’ve noticed many amusing and distracting video practices, even on TV.  We saw someone on Bloomberg TV who was hunched over his laptop, with the screen showing the top third of two paintings and his ceiling.  It was very distracting! We’ve also seen physicians looking fixedly into their camera lense in an awkward way, or letting their eyes dart from side to side, which makes them appear very uncomfortable.  (Of course, they most likely ARE uncomfortable, but they also most likely would prefer to appear more confident.)

Tip #5:  Speak loudly and slowly. Remember that there’s often a time lag or an echo with even the most sophisticated video system.

Even professional presenters are experiencing difficulties with this.  We’ve seen many newscasters presenting from home who seem unaware of the echo that the viewers at home can hear.  We’ve seen people speaking over one another, because they haven’t taken the time lag into account. The rule of thumb: ASSUME that there’s a time lag, and wait for a count of one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two before speaking. 

Tip #6: Pause!  

This is a continuation in some ways of Tip #5, but it’s also a bit different: pause, even between your own sentences, and not only after your viewer(s) speak.  Pausing gives you time to think and to breathe, and it makes you look confident and composed.  

Tip #7:  Watch your tone and your inflection

We continually hear people using what we call the “grocery list” tone when presenting.  This is a monotonous, repetitive tone that makes focusing on what you’re saying challenging for your viewers.  Remember that tone and inflection are connected with gestures. Gesture as you would when speaking casually to a friend.  

Tip #8: Sit up, forward and on the edge of your seat, with both feet on the floor

Don’t cross your legs, clasp your hands, or cross your arms over your chest.  These are closed or even defensive postures, and they can actually make you feel less receptive to your viewers’ ideas.  If you hunch forward, with your shoulders rolled inwards, research has shown that you’ll release the stress hormone, Cortisol, into your system.  This can make you feel and look insecure and anxious.  

Tip #9: If you use slides during your video call, read our advice on presenting with visuals

Remember to “quench the visual thirst.” What this means is acknowledging that people can’t read and listen to you at the same time.  You need to give them the 30,000 foot view of each slide, and remember to emphasize the key takeaway. Keep your slides clean and clear; “less is more.” Use fewer words and more graphs and pictures.  

Tip #10: Repeat or rephrase all questions and make sure that you’ve established a mechanism for participants to let you know that they’d like to ask questions

We can’t emphasize this enough.  How many coronavirus briefings have you watched where the speaker answers a question that the TV viewers haven’t heard?  How frustrating is that? On a video conference, don’t assume that all viewers have heard the question asked. Always repeat a question at a minimum, and rephrase any question that’s long-winded or hostile.  Watch our webcasts and read our articles about Q & A best practices. And a note: if you’re on a videoconference that allows Chat windows to pop up, you can ask your viewers to type in questions or comments, or to let you know when they’d like to speak next.

Summary: In this extreme time, everyone is isolated yet connected electronically.  We’re fortunate in many ways that the novel coronavirus has hit us when we have a robust telephone and video capability.  With the increased emphasis on conference calls and video conferencing comes a greater need for proficiency in communicating through these media.  If you prepare, set up your video area, test the lighting, the staging and the sound, and follow our simple tips, your video calls will be much more effective.  Please remember that reading about something and implementing what you’ve read is challenging; the best way to change habits and to improve is through practice. Call us at +1-508-259-7496, or email us at [email protected] to set up a video training session.  

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