The Reality of Zoom
Camera on!
During the pandemic, we all adjusted to a new way to do work. We stayed home, we got rid of our commute, we wore more comfortable clothes, and enjoyed the freedom of being out of the office. But we also had to adjust to being on camera. I know my first time on camera in zoom teaching was… awkward, at best!
But I knew that if I wanted to reach others and have an impact in zoom, whether college students, corporate clients, or colleagues having my Camera ON was going to be essential. In part, I knew this because as a social psychologist I am aware of how important nonverbal communication is to understanding someone’s message. I didn’t want to lose this important channel of information and communication by having my camera off.
I strongly advocate with both my corporate clients and students that if you want to be heard and create a positive engaged impression, you need to get more comfortable with your Camera ON.
And here’s why:
As the speaker:
You can use all channels of communication! Facial expressions, hand gestures, posture, and eye contact. All of which are particularly important for being persuasive, conveying your expertise, and creating a connection with your audience.
With Camera ON you are more likely to be understood, it provides the context and extra information necessary to comprehension.
As a listener:
I can tell you after many, many zoom meeting in which I have presented, when the audience cameras are off, I have far less information about how my presentation is received, and it is disheartening. I am left wondering, is anyone really listening? is anyone actually out there?
When my audience has Cameras ON, I am a better presenter, I am able to gauge how the presentation is going and foster more interactive engagement.
As a listener with your Camera ON, you will create a more engaged impression, signaling to the presenter and others on the call, you understand the importance of this meeting and have shown up for it!
A Camera ON listener can practice good listening skills (see Active Listening post), and practice active engagement.
Every corporate leader I have spoken with has emphasized the importance of Camera ON for team members.
But Camera ON, is not without its drawbacks. Below, I outline some of the realities of being on camera for video conferences and tips for how to overcome them.
Eye gaze and proximity
Zoom sets up an environment in which our brains perceive we are being watched by others, which has pretty significant psychological consequences. Being under close and constant eye gaze causes psychological discomfort. Constant eye gaze by others triggers our brains to think we may need to fight or mate! Think about riding an elevator or having a meeting with a small group you don’t gaze at them the whole time, it would be uncomfortable for you and for everyone else.
In addition, the size of the faces for most zoom meetings, gives the appearance ofclose proximity, something we reserve for intimate others. Research has demonstrated we don’t like to be less than 65cm from anyone who is not an intimate other, but zoom faces can appear to be at 50 cm based on the size of the faces.
Tips to fix:
Exiting full screen mode on zoom.
Moving further away from your screen, use a remote keyboard and mouse if necessary.
Zoom anxiety
Many of us, including myself, are not always enamored with having to hear or see ourselves in video. One of the benefits of working from home was not getting dress up or “ready” each morning! But being on camera is going to be a reality of our virtual workplaces and is an important part of how we present to the company, our colleagues, and supervisors. It is important to recognize for women, being on camera can be an extra challenge as we are culturalized to be conscious of our appearance. (Article on managing body image in virtual world). And for anyone, who struggles with body image issues it can be crippling to be on camera. If this is a concern for you, I recommend working with a cognitive-behavior therapist (CBT), they specialize in overcoming negative thoughts and behaviors.(Article with CBT-based recommendations).
Tips to minimize anxiety:
Turn on hide self-view function in Zoom. This can help reduce the focus on appearance and feelings of discomfort. For MS teams it is not possible to hide self, but since it is in static location (bottom right). Individuals have solved this by putting a sticky note in this spot on their screen.
Take mini-camera off and mute breaks during meetings.
CBT self-intervention: it’s counterintuitive but we should expose ourselves in friendly zoom environments, helping to reduce our discomfort. This will help you to recognize your specific worries/concerns and prepare to manage them during videoconference meetings. Work on positive self-talk when you see your image, “I look happy!” or “That color looks particularly good on me!”
Limited Movement
Videoconferencing can reduce our ability to move in detrimental ways. Research has demonstrated that “talking with our hands” and other full body movements enhance creativity and memory. The videoconferencing environment can limit us to a seated front facing position. If you think about any meeting you have ever attended it is unlikely you and your colleague sat this way for the entire meeting. We naturally move and shift, maybe even walk around during a meeting, and this movement aids our cognitive processes. In addition, it helps us to maintain our attention and without these little physical movements, we limit our able to attend to a meeting.
Tips to get moving:
Stand up for meetings: I know from personal experience when I am conducting a workshop or a class that utilize my standing desk. In freeing myself to move, I am more engaged in the presentation. You can use a standing desk (site for affordable standing desks) or your kitchen counter, or just stack some books on your workspace as a makeshift laptop stand.
Sit on an exercise ball: an alternative to standing is to sit on an exercise ball (not with a stand) it can help you to replicate natural movement.
Take occasional camera off breaks, stand up, and move around. In addition to helping reduce zoom anxiety and gaze fatigue. It can help us to refocus our attention, and help us think!
