Online Meeting Tips: 8 Body Language Pointers You Need to Know

Posted by Kelly McCarthy on May 31, 2019 11:00:00 AM

Audio visual (AV) solutions have progressed in leaps and bounds over the past few years, with online meetings now having as much of a positive impact on the growth and processes of an organization as face-to-face meetings.

Whether you are the owner of a small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) or a senior manager of a large organization hiring hundreds of employees, boardroom, meeting room and huddle space meeting technology offers you the ideal platform to boost collaboration, improve efficiencies, enhance communication among staff, increase business performance and drive a growth in profits.

But just because you install the right technology, doesn’t necessarily mean you can host the perfect meeting.

To help you maximize our innovative and world-class corporate AV meeting room solutions, Genesis Integration has created a list of 10 body language tips that you simply must know for a successful video conference meeting.

1 - Be attentive

When in an online meeting, just because you are in a different room (and maybe a completely different city or country) you should still be just as attentive as you would be while presenting or listening in a face-to-face environment.

Avoid multitasking on your laptop or checking updates on your phone, and remain focused on the meeting at hand. You might be based remotely, but your colleagues will still be able to tell if your distracted by your actions on camera.

2 - Maintain eye contact

Maintaining eye contact (but not in an aggressive manner) is a great way to show colleagues and clients in a meeting that you are completely interested and engaged in what they are saying.

This is particularly important during video conferences because generally your face is the only clue you give off as to how you are reacting to the meeting. However, this can be difficult and sometimes people give off the wrong impression.

To achieve appropriate eye contact for a successful meeting you should look at the camera instead of the computer screen and then look at the screen from time to time so it doesn’t look like you are staring. You should also look into the camera while speaking so it appears that you are talking to your colleagues and not elsewhere.

3 - Use hand language to articulate your point

In everyday life, it’s almost impossible to not make hand gestures to help you articulate what you are saying. Hand gestures help show your interest, passion and knowledge about a subject and help people understand what you are saying more accurately.

Despite this, in many online meetings people’s hand gestures are either hidden under the table or out of shot and away from the camera. Making hand gestures even though they aren’t completely visible on screen will help you communicate what you are trying to say and encourage others to listen.

4 - Avoid fidgeting

While many think most of the actions they make during the middle of a video conference aren’t picked up by the camera, your colleagues or clients watching you will certainly be able to tell if you are fidgeting.

Fidgeting is distracting and shows others in the video conference that you are bored. It also detracts others from their presentation, which can lead to frustration. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t move, just make sure whatever you are doing isn’t disrupting others or making you seem disinterested.

5 - Don’t stress

If you are tense in a video conference, your colleagues or clients will be able to tell. As a result, you’ll come across as either disinterested, or, at worst, aggressive towards the ideas that are being proposed.

By simply appearing relaxed on screen, you’ll make sure that you aren’t conveying the wrong message and potentially ruining the outcome of the meeting.

6 - Sit with good posture

How you sit while listening or presenting during a video conference goes a long way to how people will perceive your interest in the meeting.

A simple trick is to simply plant your feet on the ground and sit up straight. This will stop you from slouching and will make you appear more enthusiastic, interested and confident for the meeting taking place.

7 - Don’t cross your arms

Crossing your arms is comfortable, and can even keep you warm if you’re sitting in a particularly chilly office. That doesn’t mean, however, that it’s a positive way to sit while in the middle of an important video conference.

Crossing your arms will give others in the meeting the impression that you are closed off and unwelcoming to new ideas. In fact, it may even discourage your colleagues from starting positive dialogue with you - preventing the flow of ideas that are crucial for the growth of your business.

8 - Smile!

Last but not least, the most important thing to remember in your corporate video conferences is to smile. By smiling you are projecting a warm and non-threatening persona that means colleagues will feel confident in sharing their ideas - enhancing collaboration.

It’s believed that smiling can help online meetings to run more smoothly, and increases the likelihood of a positive outcome.

Have additional questions about body language do’s and don’ts while video conferencing, or simply want to learn more about Genesis Integration’s world-class AV solutions? Contact our team of experts today for more information.

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Tags: Videoconferencing solutions, Tips For Remote Working

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