Are you being asked to go back into the office? Are you feeling uneasy about the return to meetings and presentations in front of a physical group in a conference room?
Like most of us, you’ve probably been presenting in front of a computer screen for the past year and a half. You’ve adjusted to this routine and are likely feeling uncomfortable with the thought of being back in a conference room, but we are here to help with our foolproof techniques for making the transition from “Zoom to Room.”
The first thing to recognize in the transition from Zoom to Room is the power of Zoom itself. After such a long period of virtual meetings, most people are fatigued and worried that Zoom no longer has the potential to engage. In reality, though, Zoom has more leverage to engage than we realize—it’s merely a matter of learning how to use the virtual platform properly.
The most common issue we see firsthand when there is a mix of people in a conference room and others at home is technical glitches. It’s difficult to hold a meeting when there are some people sitting around a table and others on a screen because you cannot make direct eye contact with everyone in attendance.
The solution to this is to facilitate a classroom environment. Ask those who are physically present to spread out and face the camera directly. You might need to invest in a new camera that can be positioned at eye level for those who are talking, or you can lower the monitor, but eye level is essential either way for creating genuine engagement. Because those in the virtual world are also a part of the conversation, you have to remember to bring your eye communication back to the camera occasionally.
For those who are physically present, give yourself space in the room and let eye communication and movement guide you. In terms of the communication skills, Zoom is no different than being physically present in the room. The only critical difference is that you do not have the ability to move around and facilitate direct eye communication.
On Zoom, you only have to look in one place (at the camera) for eye communication, which might feel unnatural at first, but is easier than constantly having to look around the room once you get the hang of it.
The bottom line? Don’t give up on Zoom! Some of our fatigue stems from our failure to understand how to best use and leverage the platform. Hopping on a plane eats up time and money, but with Zoom you can reach so many more people. Zoom has allowed for unprecedented engagement and global connection, and we have benefited greatly from being able to train so many more clients around the world. The person you would have previously only been able to meet one-on-one with can now bring their whole team together. Speaking With Impact™ is here to help you make this seamless transition from Zoom to Room!
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