Cisco Canada Blog / Collaboration / Video conferencing: Do’s and Don’ts

Like it or not, we are moving towards an increasingly mobile workforce. Employees that collaborate on the same project are scattered all over the globe and, sometimes only connected via computers, smartphones and video devices. This brings up a need for conferencing – to keep us all connected, help us brainstorm and share ideas, and ultimately complete projects within deadlines.

Most companies encourage employees to use video conferencing technology to interface with their colleagues, partners and clients. Video retains a bit of the human connection in a world that is becoming increasingly dependent on digital interaction. The increased use of video conferencing makes it important to educate users on etiquette surrounding this form of communication.

Whether you are a seasoned video conference attendee or a beginner, here is a list of meeting do’s and don’ts to keep in mind:

• DO:  Keep your microphone on mute if you are not actively engaged in a conversation. Not everyone wants to listen to your dog bark, or the construction work going on outside. Be aware of your microphone settings, as you do not want to start a monologue while on mute.
• DON’T:  Read emails, scroll through news articles or shop online while on the call. Focus on the task and eliminate other distractions. Mute mobile phones, turn off notification sounds, and minimize other applications. Your colleagues can easily tell when you are not completely involved.
• DO:  Dress as if you are in the office, or at least appropriately. You never know if you’ll need to get up suddenly or your camera falls off the monitor. Also, get rid of distracting artwork on your walls, which can prevent your team from focusing on what you are saying.
• DON’T:  Have side conversations. If you aren’t going to do it in an in-person meeting, then you probably shouldn’t do it in a virtual one. It is distracting even if you are on mute.
• DO:  Position your camera at eye-level and on the monitor you are using for the conference. It is unflattering when the camera is either too low (double chin alert!) or too high, and when you are looking at another screen while on the call.
• DON’T:  Interrupt other speakers while they are presenting. If you have a question that cannot wait, type it in the chat window so that it can be addressed later.

Now that you have all the Do’s and Don’ts, let’s talk about the supporting technology – does it have the necessary features to ensure a successful online meeting? Here are the components that enable a successful meeting:

• Device:  Does your meeting technology require you to sign in from your laptop only, so you have to run back home/office to join the meeting? Or are you able to seamlessly join from any device – like mobile phones, tablet, laptops?
• Time to join:  Do you struggle with all the steps required to sign on to a meeting, or does your application have an easy push to join button?
• Information sharing:  Does your meeting solution offer you a space to send meeting agendas, and other assets before the meeting, so that everyone who attends is up-to-date? Or does the information sharing start only after everyone has joined the call, which then ends up taking most of the scheduled meeting time?
• Real-time white boarding:  Do you have the option of white boarding in real time so that anyone in the meeting, on any device can see the changes that you are making to the document in real time?
• Post-meeting updates:  Do you have to send out emails to everyone on the call to share post meeting updates? Or does your meeting solution enable you to easily connect and collaborate on a single platform?

If you are considering a new meeting solution or your current meeting technology does not provide the features listed above, it is time to think about Cisco Webex – the market leader for collaboration solutions.

Cisco Webex enables you to connect and collaborate with your team as if they are in the same room. Click here to learn how.

Authors

Seema Rao