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A lot of us these days are working in a virtual environment. So we’re experiencing each other on video. Now, what’s funny about video is that actually your body language matters even more. So how do you, first of all, manage your own emotions, your body language, and your own facial expressions, and then also help other people?
Again, it always comes back to intention. It’s really important for you to recognize how your body language is going to translate to other people. I regularly will be on different kind of video calls, and I will see someone staring, almost scowling, and they obviously don’t realize it.
So first of all, make sure that you have your camera at eye level. The expression on your face is pleasant, that you’re using your hands so people can see that you’re a human being. And that overall, you’re making sure that you have an even-keeled tone, and you have a pleasant way of addressing.
The second thing to think about is for your people. So you want to notice how your people are coming across. How they’re coming across to you is probably how they’re coming across to other people. You may not mind that they’re in semi-darkness. You may not mind they’re looking up at their camera, but recognize that if they’re doing it to you, they’re doing it to everybody else, so you might want to ask them to address their body language over video.
And again, tell them in a way which is: “I know that you want to come across as an excellent professional. I know that you want to come across as polished, and also that you want to manage your team, and work with your peers in a comfortable and collaborative way. I think there may be a few things you could improve in the way you’re showing up on video that will help you be able to do that.”