Nonverbal Communication in Videoconferencing

Camera Position (Eye Level)

In virtual meetings, your camera is your interlocutor's eyes. Therefore, the position of the camera is critical. It must be at eye level.

If the camera is too low (such as a laptop's built-in camera on the table), you will be looking down at the audience.

This projects an image of dominance, superiority or even disdain, which is not pleasant.

The opposite is also true: a camera that is too high can make you appear small or submissive.

Use books or a stand to elevate your laptop until the camera is at eye level, creating a relationship of equality.

Also, turning on the camera is important, as studies show that eye contact (even virtual) increases collaboration and trust.

Eye contact with the camera

The biggest challenge of video conferencing is eye contact. Instinctively, we look at the image of the person on our screen, not the camera lens.

However, when you look at the screen, your conversation partner sees you looking down, breaking eye contact.

To create a real connection, you must train yourself to look directly into the camera lens when you speak.

One trick to facilitate this is, if your software allows it, to drag the video window of the person you are talking to and place it as close as possible to your camera lens.

This way, as you look at your image, your gaze will be almost aligned with the camera.

Compensate for energy (Be 10-15% more energetic).

Cameras and screens tend to "flatten" our presence and reduce perceived energy.

The enthusiasm and charisma you project in person are not conveyed with the same intensity through the virtual.

To compensate for this effect, you should consciously be 10% to 15% more energetic than you would be in a face-to-face meeting.

This involves using more deliberate gestures (making sure they are visible in the frame, such as open palms), greater vocal inflection and a more active facial expression.

The Importance of Sound (Microphone and Voice)

In a virtual meeting, audio quality is more important than video quality.

People can forgive a blurry or pixelated image, but poor sound, with echo or background noise, makes communication impossible and frustrating.

Your voice communicates an enormous amount of information about your emotional state and intentions. Invest in a good microphone.

Often, the microphone in a headset or hands-free headset is superior to your computer's built-in microphone, as it is closer to your mouth and picks up less echo and ambient noise.

Postures and distractions

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