From the Playbook: We all understand the value of non-verbal communication. Yet in today’s age of Zoom meetings, it can be a challenge to pick up on it. Some meetings may require video. But what can we do when they don’t? Here are things to consider if you want to encourage non-verbal communication in Zoom meetings:
Ask for help and ask in advance: If you are facilitating a meeting, set the expectation in advance that you would appreciate help in making it feel as in-person meeting as possible. You are folks to prepare to participate with their video turned on. Seeing ourselves on video is not always comfortable and it is important to give people a heads up so they can prepare themselves or their surroundings to be on camera. If you take this approach, it is OK to reinforce this invitation at the beginning of the meeting. If you are not facilitating the meeting, consider asking the facilitator or organizer if they see value in this approach and ask how you can help.
Invite instead of insist: While asking for help and giving people advance notice is important, it is equally important to invite video participation instead of insist on it. In 2020, kids are at home 24/7, spouses and roommates are coming in and out of your office space, and there may be home environments that people would rather not be seen on video. Invite participants to participate with video, but respect that everyone has a different work-from-home arrangement. If video participation is truly optional, it is important to honor their choice.
Verbalize what cannot be seen: If cameras are off, go the extra mile to communicate what you are feeling. Say “I apologize, I need a minute to collect my thoughts” when you are pausing to think or “You aren’t able to tell, but I’m having a physical reaction to the conversation. Let me see if I can put what I am feeling into words” when a comment catches you off guard. You can also try to elicit non-verbals through questions. “I apologize, but because I can’t see everyone, I would value a quick verbal check-in on how people are doing with this conversation before we move on.”
Non-verbals are an essential aspect to our communication. We can either ask for help and invite video participation in a respectful way or try to bridge the gap by verbally communicating a bit more than what we might normally do. Try one of these strategies at a meeting this week and see how they work!
