video calls Archives - All the Way Leadership Blog

The worst mistake a leader can make on a video call

Wow – the COVID crisis continues with no clear end in sight. I am spending more time in the office these days, but that may soon come to an end if the number of COVID cases continues to rise. I will likely be spending even more hours on video calls, like many leaders. Today I am going to talk about the worst mistake that a leader can make on a video call. Don’t do this.

No – it is not the mute button

Some of you think I am going to say that misusing the mute button is the worst mistake you can make as a leader during a video call. Talking while on mute is a mistake, but it is really not a big deal. All you have to do is come off mute and repeat what you said while muted. Saying something stupid without the mute button on can be bad, really bad. But, I believe most leaders are smarter than that and will not fall into that trap.

The most common major mistake leaders make on video calls

Looking bad on camera is the worst mistake you can make as a leader during a video call. Like many of you, I have participated in hundreds of video calls this year. I am amazed at how many leaders show up on the call looking bad, really bad in some cases. It makes me wonder if they thought at all about what others would see when they turned on their camera. I believe is it better to keep your camera off than it is to show up looking like you just rolled out of bed. Your team deserves better than that. There are several problems that cause a leader to look bad on camera.

Yes – wear pants during your video calls.

Problem #1 – Awkward camera angles

Let’s start with your camera. Have you positioned it well? Or does your team get to experience seeing you at awkward angles? Below is a short list of the most common camera angles mistakes:

Too far away – you look tiny in the frame.
Way too close – everyone gets to see all the wrinkles on your face.
Too low – your team gets to see if you groomed your nostrils.
Not centered – you are in the frame, but nowhere near the center.
Side angle – people prefer to see your face, not the side of your head.

This video goes much deeper about this topic.

Problem #2 – Distracting background

Besides your smiling face, what else does your team get to see during your video calls? What kind of background is behind you that will show up on camera? I highly recommend you use a custom background if you can. Both Zoom and Microsoft Teams allow you to do this. This functionality not only looks better, but it also hides what is going on behind you. Trust me – this cloaking can prevent gaffes if someone shows up unexpectedly behind you. If you cannot use a custom background spend a little time making sure that your home office is not distracting to others. I am not an interior decorator, so I don’t have an expert opinion. In general, less seems better to me. Yes – it is okay to select a custom background that matches who you are.

I use a UVA background some days since it is my alma mater.

Problem #3 – Improper lighting

Lighting can be tricky. Too much light and you look like a ghost. Not enough light and no one can see you. I recommend investing some time and money into configuring your office so that the lighting works well for you. I actually invested in a ring light kit. It costs less than $100. I felt a little silly when I bought it, but I thought it was worth trying out. It makes a big difference. I use the light for all my video calls that I take from home nowadays. It works really well and is both portable and adjustable.

I use this lighting system for my video calls.

Problem #4 – Poor audio quality

It is completely annoying when you cannot hear clearly what someone is saying during a video call. Poor audio quality is usually due to a bad connection or lackluster equipment. Once again, I recommend spending a little money to make sure your audio quality is good. I am a big fan of using headphones for video calls. I bought a Bose pair of noise-canceling headphones that I wear for all my calls. They were expensive but well worth the investment. A good microphone will also do the trick.

These headphones work well for my video calls.

Problem #5 – Improper choice of attire

I am not here to be your fashion advisor. Rather I recommend that you show up on your video calls dressed appropriately for the setting, and in line with your organization’s culture. Of course, what is appropriate will vary greatly. When in doubt be conservative. If you want to be taken seriously dress the part – don’t show up in a hoodie and baseball cap. For heaven’s sake – don’t show up in a robe or your pajamas to a business call. Remember – your customers will get a visual impression based on how you dress. I have been surprised by how informal some people are on camera. Lastly, I recommend you dress your age. No one wants to see someone like me trying to act like I am back in my 20s.

This article includes some good tips regarding attire for calls.

Fix this mistake before worrying about others

Sure – there are many other problems a leader may experience on a video call. Those don’t matter much until after you tackle this one. Trust me – no one will remember if you accidentally talked while on mute. But, they will remember if you showed up looking bad, wondering what in the world happened to you that day. Avoid making this easily fixed mistake.

First impressions matter. Experts say we size up new people in somewhere between 30 seconds and two minutes.
Elliott Abrams

What about you?

How are you showing up on camera these days? If you are looking good – keep it up. If not, do the work required. I know it sounds trivial. However, it is worth investing a little time to show up strong. After all, you used to do this every day before COVID when we worked in offices. Why stop now? Remember the camera captures everything, and so will your team members.

Dress the part – don’t be too informal.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise up the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

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How to avoid confusion during your next video call

This month I will share another tactical tip to avoid utter confusion during your next video call – facilitation. If it is your meeting – actively facilitate the call. Don’t expect the participants to know what to do during your calls.

Many are working from home due to COVID-19.

Communicating effectively on-camera is challenging for groups

In case you did not read the last two blogs or watch the videos let’s start with the hard truth first – it is challenging to communicate effectively on-camera, especially in group settings. Three common scenarios happen during many video meetings that can create communication challenges.

Awkward: someone said something completely inappropriate (e.g., yelled at their kids) that everyone heard. What do you do next?
Boredom: no one is talking because they are distracted and not paying attention. Hard to get stuff done if everyone is zoned out.
Confusion: multiple people talking at the same time. Hard to hear much less understand what is being said when this happens.

Many participants can lead to confusion during a video call.

What can you do to improve your performance during video conference calls?

I already shared the most practical tip I can give you to be better on-camera is to turn on your camera as much as possible. I did my best to convince you that the mute button is your friend, and will help you avoid awkward gaffes. Last month I shared the third tip – have a purpose and agenda for your call. This month I will discuss the importance of facilitating your calls so that they do not devolve into confusion. Facilitation is a common technique to maximize participation for in-person meetings. Use it on your video calls for the same reason.

You will not see meetings like this in the near future.

Video calls are harder to start than standard conference calls

I believe it is more difficult to start a video call than a standard teleconference call. For a voice-only conference call, you can normally bring everyone onto the line at the same time. Most platforms will usually give an audio indicator (e.g., beeps) when a participant joins. It is easy to kick-off by simply announcing your name and beginning the meeting. The first few minutes of a video call can be confusing. Participants usually join at different times. Some of them will use their cameras, others won’t. Some may announce their presence or say hello when they join. Others will say nothing at all. It is rare that everyone is ready to go right away. If it is your meeting – start facilitating when you join. Let everyone know when you will start the conversation and then announce that it is time to begin. Given the current COVID crisis I think it is okay to let participants banter a bit before you begin. Some of them will be happy to see others on the video.

You will need to wait for others if you are first to join the call.

Start your video call on a strong note to avoid confusion

Kick-off your call by explaining the purpose to everyone. As I wrote about last month never host a meeting that has no purpose. Be a strong leader who begins the call by explaining the purpose clearly and succinctly. Everyone on the call will appreciate giving them a clue about what will happen during the meeting. This tactic is particularly appropriate for one-off video discussions. If the participants do not meet on a regular basis, it is your job as the leader to explain why the meeting was scheduled and what you hope to achieve during the call. No need to spend ten minutes explaining the purpose – a simple explanation will do.

Start your session by stating the purpose.

Facilitate the call so that others can follow along

If it is your meeting, facilitate the video call so that others can follow along. At a minimum let everyone know the agenda, and general flow that you expect during the call. Guide the discussion to ensure that all the topics on the agenda are covered and you get the right amount of input from the participants. Don’t expect others to know the right time to chime in. If you are using slides for the discussion pause at the appropriate time to let others make comments, ask questions, and provide their feedback. Your calls will get boring real quick if one presenter drones on and one while others struggle to pay attention. Monitor your audience to recognize when they want to contribute to the meeting. Participants may not feel comfortable talking so you may need to ask them for their input. This challenge is particularly true for video calls with many participants.

Video calls with a lot of participants are challenging to facilitate.

Consider the number of call participants when facilitating

Bottom line – the larger the number of participants on your call the more challenging it is to facilitate. Plan accordingly. Anytime you have more than ten people on a call it may be difficult to guide a meaningful discussion. Three tactics to help with larger meetings. First, use verbal cues to let participants know when you want to hear from them. If you pause for input leave plenty of time for people to come off mute and talk. Sure the seconds of silence may seem awkward. But it is better to provide a pregnant pause than rush to the next topic. Second, avoid trying to pack too many agenda items into one meeting. It is really difficult to fly through a long agenda with a large group. Consider breaking the agenda into multiple meetings, or reduce the size of the audience if you want their participation. Third, leave a dedicated portion of the meeting for inputs from the audience. I have sat through many video calls that are scheduled for an hour and save practically no time for Q&A. For example, don’t let presenters talk for 55 minutes straight and then try to power through five minutes of questions. Instead, stop the presentation at 45 minutes and leave 15 minutes for interactive dialog. Trust me – your participants will appreciate it.

The chat function can help avoid confusion during discussion

Another technique to help facilitate video calls is to use the chat function that many modern collaboration tools provide. At first, I was skeptical of using live chat during a video call. Now I am a big fan. It is an effective way to add another communication channel without disturbing the meeting flow. Simply let everyone on the call know that you will be using the chat function during the session. Chat allows participants to chime in without interrupting a presenter or talking at the same time as others. They simply type their input for others to see. The chat function is also a clever way to facilitate Q&A during a presentation. Participants can type in their questions during the session. Others can sometimes answer the question without taking air time during the call. They simply respond to the chat.

You can share comments and links in the chat window.

Finish on time to prevent confusion at the end of the call

If your call goes longer than planned confusion may happen at the end. Most participants will not hang around if the meeting goes past its scheduled finish time. No – they will drop from the call and move onto their next activity. If several participants leave at the same time chaos may follow as you try to figure out who is still on the call. I don’t even consider it rude if someone drops from a call because it goes long. Avoid this scenario by being a better leader. End your call on time, or even early if you are done with the agenda. I cannot recall any time in my career when someone complained because a meeting was shorter than scheduled.

Participants will leave if your calls go long.

Last word of warning

Like many leaders, I have participated in hundreds of video calls during the last six months of the COVID crisis. Some of them were really productive, while others were a complete waste of time. The ones I enjoy the most start on time, have a clear purpose and agenda and are actively facilitated. The result is a meaningful dialog with the participants. Be the type of leader who hosts those kinds of video calls. Not the ones that are awful where everyone watches the clock hoping that the call will end soon. If your video conference calls are torture, participants will vote with their feet and stop showing up to your meetings. They have better things to do than watch you flounder on camera.

Peter Drucker was not a fan of meetings.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

A third practical tip for a successful video call – purpose and agenda

Millions of employees continue working from home, participating in a lot of video teleconference calls. To help you, I am going to share a third practical tip for a successful video call – have a clear purpose and agenda.

Many offices remain closed due to Coronavirus

Communicating effectively on-camera is challenging for groups

Awkward: someone said something completely inappropriate (e.g., yelled at their kids) that everyone heard. What do you do next?
Boredom: no one is talking because they are distracted and not paying attention. Hard to get stuff done if everyone is zoned out.
Confusion: multiple people talking at the same time. Hard to hear much less understand what is being said when this happens.

It is easy to get bored if the meeting has a lot of participants.

What can you do to improve your performance during video conference calls?

Many leaders, including myself, wonder how do I get better at video conference calls? The last thing that any of us want to do is look stupid in front of others. We can ill afford a meeting full of awkward moments. I already shared the most practical tip I can give you to be better on-camera is to turn on your camera as much as possible. Last month I did my best to convince you that the mute button is your friend. Now I will share a third practical tip – have a purpose and agenda for your call. It will help others stay engaged and avoid being easily distracted. Participants will notice the fact you thought about the purpose and flow of the call beforehand.

It is tough to sit through a meeting with no purpose.

Kick-off your call by explaining the purpose to everyone

Never host a meeting that has no purpose. Be a strong leader who begins the call by explaining the purpose clearly and succinctly. Everyone on the call will appreciate giving them a clue about what will happen during the meeting. This tactic is particularly appropriate for one-off video discussions. If the participants do not meet on a regular basis, it is your job as the leader to explain why the meeting was scheduled and what you hope to achieve during the call. No need to spend ten minutes explaining the purpose – a simple explanation will do.

Participants will drift if there is no clear purpose and agenda

Think about the last time you participated in a video call that did not have a clear purpose and agenda. At best, you probably spent the first part of the call trying to figure out what it was about. You were asking yourself a series of questions like – do I need to pay attention during this call, or can I multi-task? Will I need to talk at all during the call? When will it be over? What time is it? If these questions are entering your mind, you can bet that others are thinking about similar questions. Worst case – participants will get bored. Next thing you know – everyone is zoned out and nothing gets accomplished during the call. A complete waste of time.

Avoid boring participants during your meetings.

Send out the purpose and agenda beforehand if you can

Let’s get truly tactical. I recommend you send out the purpose and agenda before the video call if you can. It does not have to be complicated. Providing this information in advance helps participants decide if they should attend. Many people are super busy these days, juggling multiple calendars invites on a regular basis. They may need to skip your meeting if something higher priority conflicts with it. Give them enough preview material to make an informed decision. A best practice is to include the agenda in the calendar invite. Another technique is to attach a word document or PowerPoint slides to the invite. Yes – you read that right. Send out the slides before the meeting. Some of you are shaking your head right now, so let’s talk about using slides for meetings.

Include an agenda in your meeting invites – not like this one.

Guiding the agenda with slides may be appropriate

Many people hate PowerPoint. It is the bane of their existence. I understand their disdain for slides. With over thirty years of experience, I have created thousands of slides and seen probably a million or more. Some companies and organizations won’t even allow their employees to use slides. Not me – I am a fan. PowerPoint is a useful tool for meetings. I am not saying that because I work for Microsoft. Rather I truly believe it. Slides can help make many meetings more productive. If you put in the proper effort when pulling together slides for a meeting, then the group will benefit. If you throw something together willy nilly then all will suffer the dreaded disease known as death by PowerPoint. Avoid that trap.

A few cautions about using slides

Perhaps I opened up a can of worms by mentioning slides. My main recommendation when it comes to slides is to spend the appropriate amount of time to create compelling content. This post is not all about slides so I will stop there with best practices. Instead let me provide a few cautions when it comes to using slides for a meeting. Avoid these three major mistakes.

Too many slides – no one wants to sit through thirty slides for a thirty-minute meeting. Basic math – take the total number of minutes available and divide by three or two to calculate the number of slides to include.
Too many words – everyone can read faster than you can talk. Don’t include too many words on your slides. No one wants to read a book. Never ever read the slides to others. It is not kindergarten.
Worthless slides – if you are in doubt whether or not to include a slide, then get rid of it. Slides that do not communicate the point are worthless. Participants will not complain if you go light on the number of slides.

Your audience will spend too much time trying to read this paragraph instead of listening.

Be timely and follow the agenda when leading your video calls

Another tactic to consider is keeping track of the time as the call progresses. I highly recommend you do your best to start and finish your video calls on time. All the participants will appreciate it. Granted, company culture may dictate if you actually start meetings on time. Some organizations, like the military, are strict about being on time. While others are more casual. Adjust accordingly. Sometimes you may need to wait for important participants to join a call. This situation is not hard to manage – simply let everyone know you will start in a few minutes after others arrive.

Always be on time. It is a simple demonstration of discipline, good work habits, and most importantly respect for other people.
Anthony Bourdain

End on time, or early if you can

Having said that I have yet to encounter a professional organization that believes meetings should run long. In fact, the opposite is true. Most participants will not hang around if the meeting goes past its scheduled finish time. No – they will drop from the call and move onto their next activity. I don’t even consider it rude if someone drops from a call because it goes long. Avoid this scenario by being a better leader. End your call on time, or even early if you are done with the agenda. I cannot recall any time in my career when someone complained because a meeting was shorter than scheduled, or canceled because it was not needed.

Last words of warning

I want to share last one bit of advice. Invest some time and energy up front in your video calls to get the results you are seeking. Simply put – the better you are at leading video calls the better participation you will see. If there is no clear purpose, or agenda, participants will skip the session because they cannot tell if it is worth their time. Do your best to follow the agenda and stay on time. Otherwise, don’t be surprised if people avoid your video calls because they are chaos. This fact is especially true for long meetings. Don’t worry the more you practice the better you will get. Trust me.

A friendly reminder – people will avoid useless meetings.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!