Is it okay to turn your webcam off in the middle of a team call? That seems like a reasonable question, but it always seems to get people worked up. It should be a binary answer: yes or no. But the real answers are "sometimes," and "it depends." We all know the pros and cons of using webcams: The human brain is wired for visual communication. We crave seeing the other … [Read more...]
Five Reasons for Zoom Fatigue
Imagine being the people at Zoom. Eighteen months ago, few people had heard of you. Then the COVID lockdown begins and suddenly you’re the most popular new software in the world. Then, just as suddenly, you’re the cause of something called “Zoom fatigue” and people hate you. Hardly seems fair. But to remote workers around the world, it is very real. A report from Stanford … [Read more...]
10 Tips for Better Meetings
Entire books have been written about doing better virtual meetings. Heck, I’ve written two of them myself, but if there was a simple list of things you can do better, it might look like this: Clearly identify your objective and desired outcome. Form follows function, and knowing what you want to achieve will determine which tools you use and what form your meeting will … [Read more...]
Is Zoom Fatigue Real?
Forced to work from home? It’s not perfect, but hey, there’s always Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and any number of webcam apps to help you stay in touch with your teammates. Then, just when people start using these tools and getting used to them, we learn about “Zoom Fatigue.” This is a perfect example of why, as my mother said, we can’t have nice things. It feels like every time a … [Read more...]
Conference Call Survival Tips
Most companies have held more virtual conference calls this year than ever before. The rise of work-from-home environments has been more significant than ever, and the number of remote employees will likely remain a constant. Conference calling is one of the best ways for teams to keep everyone in the loop about new projects and opportunities. With the wide selection of … [Read more...]