Whether a part of an in-person meeting, or a virtual meeting, one has to always be cognizant of their body language and what it is conveying. Not being mindful of something this critical can give those you video chat with a very incorrect impression of you.
Sure, video conferencing already comes with a lot to think about: your presentation; receiving and replying to points discussed by others; and hoping no one accidentally walks in on your call. Even still, your body language should not be put on the back-burner.
If you are unaware of how your physical, video call positioning may look to others, here is some clarity, as well as tips on how to correct certain body language behaviour:
Sitting Up Straight in the Chair
This position screams confidence, alertness, attentiveness, and a genuine interest in the topic being discussed. When sitting this way, you are letting everyone in the online meeting know that virtual meeting etiquette is very important to you.
Additionally, you are setting a positive example for how others should conduct themselves during such an occasion.
Slouching in Your Chair
When slouching in your chair during a video chat, there is no clearer way of indicating that you:
A) Have zero interest in the conversation at hand
B) Feel discouraged and emotionally unequipped to deal with this type of meeting
C) Can’t wait for certain people to stop talking
D) All of the above, and then some
Participating in a call through an online meeting platform is a give and take experience. If you don’t appear willing to take other opinions seriously, others won’t give you the time of day for yours.
Talking with Your Hands
By and large, when you use your hands to introduce an idea, or to piggyback off of a point one of your colleagues made, you are showing great enthusiasm. You are excited about the work that’s about to get done, and what you hope the end result will be.
That said, talking with your hands still needs to be a controlled technique. If you start whipping your arms around at Tornado-like speeds, people will get distracted by your physicality and likely not absorb everything you’ve tried to communicate to them.
Not Making Eye Contact
One of the hardest body language examples to analyze for video chats is eye contact. Some people prefer looking at the whole of their screen when speaking with people. Others, meanwhile, are quite good about looking straight into the tiny camera lens at all times.
If those on your video conferencing session can tell that you are putting an honest effort into making eye contact, you’ll be forgiven for occasionally staring at the screen as opposed to the lens.
However, angst will rise up if you are continually looking past your screen, or appear to be talking to the group while trying to complete work on another device at the same time. This behaviour indicates that you’re sort of interested in the conversation, but not totally invested in it.
Facial Expressions
Although it can be a challenge to always know what your face is communicating when someone else is speaking, try your best to keep it as polite and/or neutral as possible.
If you furrow your brow with great intensity; roll your eyes; or look like you just smelt a rotten egg, others will notice. Chances are, they will not be too happy about it and wonder if having respectful body language in video conferencing gatherings is something you are incapable of.
When choosing to smile, don’t overdo it. To some, this can come off as disingenuous or even unnecessary. Just act natural and you will be just fine.
Banty has a number of video chat solutions where you can learn how to master the art of top-notch body language practices. Some of Banty’s best features are:
· A custom, permanent URL (i.e., Banty.com/MyMeeting)
· End-to-end encryption technology to keep all meeting rooms safe
· The ability to manually adjust the call of your feed during a video call
· A user-friendly meeting scheduling tool
· The ability to track how much someone participates in a meeting
· Unlimited monthly meetings
Sign up to Banty today and start your experience with a free, 14-day trial.
