Communicating Effectively With Video Conferencing
Written by: Megan Smith / Treatment / March 2020
While some teams have a lengthy history of using teleconferencing services for meetings, other folks are now adopting these platforms for the first time ever. As a result, many people are being forced to confront their poor digital communication habits at the same time.
Many of the things that make people poor communicators via Zoom, GoToMeeting, Microsoft Teams, or other teleconferencing applications, are general issues with assertive communication (Balancing your needs, wants and comfort with the needs, wants and comfort of others). However, there are some technology-specific applications of the general concepts important to assertive communication
1. Be respectful of yourself
Practice assertive communication by sticking to an agenda, regardless of whether you are leading the meeting or participating. Consider a video conference to be more like a presentation than a conversation, as turn-taking can be very difficult when internet connections are not at maximum signal. Good communicators prepare their general ideas and make an outline in advance of a presentation, though they would likely not script every single sentence. This will help make sure that you communicate everything that you need to, even if you are interrupted.
With that said, speak up when you need to. Rather than letting people speak for minutes without understanding their main point, ask the clarifying question that is needed. You may not be the only person watching who is not following along!
2. Be respectful of others
“video calls that could have been calls are the new meeting that could have been an email”
Choose the appropriate level of engagement for the matter that needs to be discussed. Just as the subject matter of many in-person meetings could have been resolved with an email or phone call, so too can the information! Just because the technology is available does not mean that it needs to be used 100% of the time. However, if you are introducing a new policy or procedure, or if discussing a topic that is more controversial, you may choose a video call medium in order to read the body language/facial expression/tone of the other party more effectively than by phone, email, or instant message.
Don’t monopolize the floor! In video conferences, turn-taking can become a little bit stilted by shoddy internet connections. You may not get reliable cues from your audience that they want to speak, have questions, or even that they are bored! Open the floor up for thoughts, responses, and questions regularly if you find yourself speaking for some time.
Learn your software in advance, as well. It is much more respectful of others’ time to be prepared going into the meeting than to troubleshoot how to annotate your shared screen in real time, with everyone else simply waiting for you to get back on track. Similarly, it is very frustrating to try to speak in a meeting while colleagues are making loud typing noises, coughing, or otherwise distracting the team when they could have muted their microphones! Know what you will need to do, and how to do it, in advance. Your team will thank you for it!
Balance the small talk. Because your coworkers are no longer seeing each other in person, people will be starved for friendly social interaction with each other. Respect this, and let your team have social time. Make it an agenda item! But do not let it go unchecked to the point that your coworkers are frustrated and feel that their time is being wasted.
3. Know your group
While you may be a fair communicator, to be successful in video conferencing, you will need to manage colleagues’ communication styles as well. The types of people who like to speak their opinions tend to monopolize the floor in these types of meetings, as it is somewhat more awkward to cut them off. Meanwhile, the types of workers who tend to stay quiet at meetings may feel more comfortable sitting with their microphones muted than trying to interrupt a talkative person to contribute their ideas.
By knowing your crowd, you can help serve as a mediator. Use your assertive communication skills to interrupt a talkative coworker in agreement, then gently segue into opening the floor for questions and comments to encourage the less talkative folks to have a turn to speak their minds as well.
You may find it difficult to balance all of these competing demands in real time, but nobody finds this totally easy! We are all figuring out our new workflow, including teleconferencing, one day at a time. It is natural to hit some bumps in the road along the way. Hopefully this guide has given you some things to think about as you do so!
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