How to Appear Smart In Virtual Meetings?

Meetings are not just about talking about business matters. This is also a great way to showcase your talent and skills as a smart person. It is a misconception that you can only look professional in meetings that are face-to-face. However, you can even deliver a good and smart impression with your boss and teammates even if you’re meeting virtually.

In this blog, we will share with you some of the best tips that you can use when you are in a virtual meeting.

 

Be Professional

Being professional and looking professional are two separate matters, but you can do both if you have the willingness to do it. You can do both by:

 

Joining The Meeting On Time

Always. Always be on time when you have a scheduled meeting. This will have a good impression on your boss and teammates knowing that you are never late. This is because you are showing interest in attending the meeting. This also delivers the message that you are respecting their time.

 

Join In The Conversation The Right Way

It is important that when you are in a meeting, you should participate in the discussion. On the other hand, while it is important to be cooperative and active, it is unprofessional to hijack a conversation. What it means is by suddenly changing the subject while in the midst of a topic, cutting off when someone is speaking, or expressing your disinterest in a topic. 

Remember that listening is as important as speaking. Communicate with the fellow participants in the meeting, but if you disagree with something, don’t and never start an argument.

 

Undivided Attention

As much as possible avoid peeking and using your phone while in the meeting. Put it on silent mode or keep it away for the meantime.

 

Focus On The Agenda(s)

In a meeting, there are agendas that need to be discussed in a certain amount of time. Don’t start unrelated topics unrelated because it won’t help in the productivity of everyone.

 

Sit Properly

Even though you are attending a virtual meeting like on zoom, it is best that you act like you are really in an actual meeting room with fellow participants. Don’t slouch, put your hands on your chin, cross arms, or randomly look elsewhere. Your full attention is needed so that you would understand each topic that is being discussed.

Thus, your pose has a big impact on how much strength you signal while in a meeting.

 

Use The Right Keywords

When trying to explain or ask something, use keywords so that they would understand what you are trying to say. It makes a big difference compared to using so many filler words like ‘hmm’, ‘uhm’, ‘ah’, etc.

Yes, this may not be easy to do but practicing always helps you to do better. Furthermore, when you use the right keywords, it delivers the message that you know what you are talking about, you are listening, and you have a good understanding of what the meeting is about overall.

 

Use Professional Background

Zoom and other online meeting tools have the capability for you to use a virtual background. This is ideal when you don’t have a good natural background where you are sitting. Plus, it also affects your overall look.

For example, you did not use any virtual background, and your actual background during the meeting is somewhat chaotic like there are frequent bypassers behind you. It distracts fellow participants in the meeting, especially if you are discussing something.

 

Wear The Right Attire

Even though the meeting is done virtually, it doesn’t give you a free pass to disregard what you’re wearing. Treat the virtual meeting like you are attending an actual in-person meeting. Dress up in the right clothes, formal if needed, so that you would not just look good but also would look smart.

 

Smile

Smiling once in a while breaks the ice, especially when you’re meeting about something heavy. This helps to lighten up the atmosphere. However, you should be mindful when you smile. For example, don’t smile when your boss is discussing a sensitive topic. Otherwise, you are giving a bad impression that you are mocking him/her.

 

Occupy A Good Spot

When you are attending meetings virtually, it is important that your occupied space is not heavily disturbed. It is understandable not everyone has a secluded room or space that has no distractions. What is really important is, as much as possible, noises in your surroundings should be controlled. And this is the reason why using headphones is also ideal during the meeting because it minimizes the unrelated sounds in your surroundings.

If you are not speaking or don’t have anything to say, might as well mute your microphone so that you are sure that you’re not disturbing the others who are currently speaking.

 

Ensure That You Have A Good Internet Connection

The Internet plays a crucial part during virtual meetings. It is important that you have a reliable WIFI or LAN connection so that you can attend smoothly, won’t get interrupted, and be able to participate in the entire duration of the meeting.

 

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, virtual meetings are the most used way nowadays to meet your teammates and bosses. Aside from the fact that it is more convenient than going out because of the current pandemic, this also gives the chance for many remote workers to be able to actively participate since working online is becoming more and more ideal today.

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