Voom with a View

With the cultural shift from in person meetings to the panoply of video based meetings, a disturbing trend seems to be appearing. With no rules truly governing such calls, each participant is left to create his or her own view and application. While flexibility is key to this approach, there are some guidelines we all should follow.

First, and foremost, if you are invited to what I look to refer to as Voom calls, v emphasizing video, make sure you can join with video. A video meeting has likely been called so that all the participants can see one another, if for no other reason, than to try to simulate the historically acceptable meeting method of in person. What protocol would exist for an in person meeting needs to be applied in a voom meeting. Without it, the call can be choppy, distracting, and likely not effective.

i have experienced this firsthand. There may be very legitimate reasons that a person or persons cannot join a Voom call with video. They may be on the road taking the call from their car Bluetooth or they may be experiencing internet connection issues. And if either of these are the case, do the polite thing, and advise your host or organizer that, regretfully, you cannot join by video and give the reason. That can be shared with the broader group so everyone understands why all they see is a phone number next to your name.

Secondly, if you are the host ask yourself why the meeting is arranged as a Voom Call. Do you have paperwork that needs to be shared with and viewed by the group? Or are you just feeling the burden of isolation and wanting to see the participants? If three of your six participants call in with no video, likely this is not the best time for a meeting or they do not believe a video connection is warranted. As the organizer, you may have to rethink the timing of your meeting.

Having been a participant on a recent Voom call where half of the respondents chose to only call in via telephone, it felt very disjointed. I was left wondering why don’t the others want us to see them, what are they doing, etc. it was very distracting. And, frankly, I considered it rude. We all need to adapt to this altered business culture and doing your best to maintain decorum and protocol should be a priority for all.

So, the next Voom Meeting you are invited to, think about how best you can attend. For those of us who have taken the time to place the computer on a tissue box so you can see them looking at you not down below, or have arranged the bookcase and painting behind us to make it look appealing, please give us the same courtesy. We do not want to see you in your bath robe meandering through the refrigerator but assuming you are not having technology connection issues, join the Video and do not make the organizers and participants wonder why they cannot see you.

Be like Ruxin, the Briard, pictured in today’s article. Stage yourself for an appealing view by your colleagues. It really is the least we all can do for one another in this new isolationist approach to business.

Be well.