Best Practices For Video Conferencing

When you first show up on camera, it’s not your words that land first. It’s the visual. When I’m working with a client who will be doing a lot of their interviews and sales calls online, we start with your setup. That’s because credibility begins the second you appear on camera. Here’s what we review: Camera Laptop camera? Is it good enough or do you need a plug-in webcam? Using your phone or iPad? Do you have a stable tripod at eye level? Audio Built-in mic, plug-in USB mic or a lav? If people have to strain to hear you or there’s too much background noise, your authority drops immediately. Lighting Outside? Direct sun? Walking and talking? Inside? Do you need a ring light or a soft light source to avoid harsh shadows? Lighting shapes perception more than most people realize. Backdrop Home office? Conference room? Is it clean, intentional, and aligned with how you want to be perceived or is there too much stuff making you look disorganized? And here’s what this really signals: When you invest in your setup, you’re demonstrating standards. You’re showing your audience that you take your message and yourself seriously. That visual investment communicates preparation, discernment, and executive presence before you ever speak. The goal isn’t “fancy.” It’s professional and high quality. Whether you’re on a video sales call, recording content for LinkedIn, or preparing for media interviews, your camera, audio, lighting, and backdrop are doing a lot of the talking for you. If you’re stepping into a bigger stage this year, start with the fundamentals. Have you invested in equipment? What upgrades are your favorites?

Before I codified this, one loud voice could hijack my whole session. Now? I handle resistance without losing the room (or my authority) I used to let “just one comment” slide. Until it derailed the agenda. What started as a “quick comment” turned into a 40-minute detour. I watched the energy drain from the group. And from the client’s face. I was bringing my personal baggage Back then, I believed being “tough” made you less likeable as a facilitator. But I wasn’t being kind, I was avoiding discomfort. And that made me unclear. And unclear loses the room. Here’s my 2M framework, I wish I had years ago to protect focus and relationships. 𝗠𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲 (set yourself up for success): • Pre-session comms to set expectations • Co-create working agreements at the start • Introduce a ‘Parking lot’ early • Ask for permission to re-direct when needed 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 (when things go off-track): • Notice and name the disruption, neutrally • Refer back to the group’s agreements • Add off-topic ideas to the Parking lot • Check: “Is this moving us closer to our outcome?” This approach earned me a long-term client who brings me back to facilitate strategy days with their global brand leaders. Why? Because I kept big personalities on track without making anyone wrong. And even had execs thank me for shutting them down. Turns out, clarity earns trust. Fast. And the tougher I’ve been as a facilitator, the more I’ve been respected. ♻️ Share if you’ve ever had to wrangle a room 👇 What’s your go-to move when a session goes off the rails?

Too many sellers inadvertently lower their status in their attempts to "build rapport" with prospects.  Here's how you gain your prospect's RESPECT in the first 90 seconds of a call: First, let's look at how 90% of sellers try to build rapport: "𝘚𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮?" "𝘛𝘰𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴, 𝘩𝘶𝘩? 𝘕𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳!" "𝘏𝘰𝘸'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘓𝘈 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺?" ^Sports/Weather/Location based rapport isn't really rapport. It's schmoozing, and your prospect can see through that BS. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 '𝗲𝗺 𝘂𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲, just like every other seller who talks about the exact same stuff! If you're OK being treated like a run of the mill salesperson, by all means continue to schmooze. For those of us who'd like different results, read on. --- The easiest way to build rapport is to show you respect your prospect's time + know something about their business. You can do this by following the 90 second rule: 𝗦𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴/𝗗𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝟭.𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀. Examples: 1. For health insurance, we might comment on a new location opening: "𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘯. 𝘐𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 3𝘳𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳?" ^New office = more employees who are going to need insurance. -- 2. For our Club Pass sales training program, we'll might comment on something we read on a job posting for an AE: "𝘋𝘢𝘯, 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘑𝘋 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘕𝘛 𝘈𝘌 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘏𝘰𝘸'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨?" ___ To be clear, there's nothing wrong with bonding over a shared love of the Buffalo Bills, but let that be the cherry on top to your demonstration of prep + respect for their time, not the only way you build rapport. 

Research reveals that the average professional spends 31 hours per month in unproductive meetings, wasting both time and energy. Poor planning, unclear objectives, over-inviting attendees, and poor leadership are some of the main culprits. To make meetings fewer and more effective, consider the following strategies: "Do You Really Need This?": Before scheduling, ask: Can this be solved via email, shared document, or a quick one-on-one conversation instead? "The Two-Pizza Rule": Keep meetings small, ideally no more than 6-8 people. Smaller groups foster focus, engagement, and meaningful contributions. "Agenda or Bust": No agenda, no meeting. Define the purpose, objectives, and time for each topic—distribute it in advance so everyone is prepared. "Keep Regular Meetings Short": Regular meetings should last no longer than 30-60 minutes and focus solely on the most important topics. "Two-Hour Max Rule": Even larger meetings (exception!) with multiple topics should never exceed 2 hours. Limit them to 4-5 topics and involve only the necessary stakeholders. "Time-Bound Follow-Up": Close every meeting with clear action steps, assigned owners, and deadlines. Without this, discussions lack tangible outcomes. "No Flashy Slides": Ditch colorful, overloaded presentations. Use minimal slides, focused on crisp, actionable insights—not decoration. "Own the Room": Assign a meeting owner to manage time, enforce the agenda, and ensure progress. This person keeps the group on track and accountable. Summary: Meetings are tools, not a substitute for clarity or action. Regular meetings should be short, focused, and deliberate, while longer sessions should be rare and strictly managed. The true purpose of meetings is to enable progress, not to appear busy or consume time unnecessarily. How do you ensure effective meetings? #meetings #productivity #effectiveness #leader #leadership

Ever notice how some leaders seem to have a sixth sense for meeting dynamics while others plow through their agenda oblivious to glazed eyes, side conversations, or everyone needing several "bio breaks" over the course of an hour? Research tells us executives consider 67% of virtual meetings failures, and a staggering 92% of employees admit to multitasking during meetings. After facilitating hundreds of in-person, virtual, and hybrid sessions, I've developed my "6 E's Framework" to transform the abstract concept of "reading the room" into concrete skills anyone can master. (This is exactly what I teach leaders and teams who want to dramatically improve their meeting and presentation effectiveness.) Here's what to look for and what to do: 1. Eye Contact: Notice where people are looking (or not looking). Are they making eye contact with you or staring at their devices? Position yourself strategically, be inclusive with your gaze, and respectfully acknowledge what you observe: "I notice several people checking watches, so I'll pick up the pace." 2. Energy: Feel the vibe - is it friendly, tense, distracted? Conduct quick energy check-ins ("On a scale of 1-10, what's your energy right now?"), pivot to more engaging topics when needed, and don't hesitate to amplify your own energy through voice modulation and expressive gestures. 3. Expectations: Regularly check if you're delivering what people expected. Start with clear objectives, check in throughout ("Am I addressing what you hoped we'd cover?"), and make progress visible by acknowledging completed agenda items. 4. Extraneous Activities: What are people doing besides paying attention? Get curious about side conversations without defensiveness: "I see some of you discussing something - I'd love to address those thoughts." Break up presentations with interactive elements like polls or small group discussions. 5. Explicit Feedback: Listen when someone directly tells you "we're confused" or "this is exactly what we needed." Remember, one vocal participant often represents others' unspoken feelings. Thank people for honest feedback and actively solicit input from quieter participants. 6. Engagement: Monitor who's participating and how. Create varied opportunities for people to engage with you, the content, and each other. Proactively invite (but don't force) participation from those less likely to speak up. I've shared my complete framework in the article in the comments below. In my coaching and workshops with executives and teams worldwide, I've seen these skills transform even the most dysfunctional meeting cultures -- and I'd be thrilled to help your company's speakers and meeting leaders, too. What meeting dynamics challenge do you find most difficult to navigate? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments! #presentationskills #virualmeetings #engagement

Your Body Speaks Before You Do—Mastering First Impressions in 7 Seconds ⏳ People decide who you are within the first 7 seconds of meeting you—before you even say a word. We all want to come across as confident, charismatic, and engaging, but the real secret? It’s all in your body language. I recently listened to an incredible episode of The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett featuring Vanessa Van Edwards a behavioral investigator who studies human connection. Vanessa, a self-proclaimed “recovering awkward person” (which I deeply relate to), unpacks the science behind how people perceive us—and I couldn’t stop taking notes. Body Language Wasn’t Something I Was Taught. Like many children of Asian immigrants, I was raised to make myself smaller—sitting quietly, keeping my hands in my lap, and lowering my gaze out of respect. Eye contact wasn’t a sign of confidence but of defiance. So when I stepped into the professional world, I constantly second-guessed my social cues: Am I making too much eye contact? Where do I put my hands when I talk? Am I coming off as engaged or just awkward? Hug or no hug? Learning the unspoken rules of communication has been a journey, and I wish I had known earlier how small shifts in body language could make such a big impact. Key Takeaways from the Episode ✅ Success is contagious – The people around you shape your confidence and mindset. ✅ Use hand gestures while speaking – It makes you more engaging and credible. ✅ The power of the slow nod – Three slow nods while someone is talking makes them feel truly heard. ✅ Smile with your eyes (Duchenne smile) – A genuine smile that reaches your eyes boosts likability. ✅ Maintain eye contact 50-60% of the time – Enough to show confidence without being intense. ✅ Lower your pitch, steady your tone – Instantly makes you sound more confident. ✅ Subtle mirroring builds connection – Matching the body language of the person you’re speaking with strengthens rapport. ✅ Use light, natural touches – A gentle touch on the shoulder or elbow (or even a slight vocal shift or lean-in) helps build connection; however, don't talk on the back or head. ✅ Know your RBF (resting bored face) – What does your neutral expression communicate? Does it unintentionally look bored, sad, or unapproachable? Adjust accordingly. ✅ Respect cultural differences – Personal space and social norms vary across cultures. This episode is packed with game-changing insights! 🎙️ Listen to the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/gkr4Myri And a huge thank you to Jennifer B. Kong for sharing 🙌 💬 What’s one body language tip that has helped you feel more confident? Drop it below! 👇

Tired of meetings that go in circles and waste valuable time? Let’s change that. Effective meetings don’t just happen—they’re built on structure, purpose, and follow-through. Here are 5 proven tips to help you run meetings that are actually productive: 📌 Have an Agenda – Prepare and share it ahead of time to align participants. 🎯 State the Purpose and Goals – Kick off by clarifying what the meeting is meant to achieve. 🚧 Keep Focused on the Goals – Steer conversations back on track when they drift. 📝 Conclude with a Summary – Recap decisions and ensure alignment on next steps. 📩 Memorialize the Results – Send a written follow-up so everyone knows what’s expected. When meetings are structured with intention, they become powerful tools for decision-making and progress. How do you keep your meetings efficient? Share your tips in the comments, and follow me for more insights. #MeetingTips #Leadership #ProductivityHacks

Most people send a plain text email after a great sales call. I send a video. The screenshot below is a real follow-up I sent after a prospect meeting. Instead of just recapping in writing, I recorded a 2-minute Loom video sharing what I learned, what I’m envisioning for their event, and why I’m genuinely excited to work together. In today’s world of noise and automation, a video like this is a humanizer. It gives them something to feel, not just something to read, and it gives them a powerful tool to forward to their internal decision-makers. The psychology behind this is fascinating. When someone sees your face and hears your voice, it activates the mirror neuron system in their brain, essentially helping them feel emotionally connected to you, as if they’re in the same room. That’s empathy. That’s trust. And trust is what drives decisions. Research shows that only 7% of communication is verbal; the rest is tone, facial expression, and body language. In a sales process full of text and data, the human brain craves the richness of video. It’s also about cognitive ease. According to research from Princeton and the University of Michigan, people are more likely to trust and act on information that feels easy to process. A clear, engaging video makes your message stickier. Add a little story, a little emotion, a little spark, and suddenly you’re not just another vendor in the inbox. You’re a trusted voice. Taking the time to send a video builds social capital. It says, “I care.” It says, “This mattered to me.” That emotional generosity has ripple effects in a referral-driven business. So if you’re trying to stand out, build relationships, and grow your business, try adding a short, heartfelt Loom video to your follow-ups. Whether it’s a cold prospect, a warm lead, or a longtime client, your energy is your edge. Presence beats polish every time. Link to how to use Loom is in the comments. Happy Monday ya'll, let's go scale our impact.

“𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭. 𝐌𝐲 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝. 𝐌𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬.” This was a senior executive, in one of my recent meetings. We reviewed one of his recordings. Technically fine. Strategically sound. Visually unstable. Camera slightly below eye level. Backlight creating shadow. Busy background. Micro delay between expression and speech. Nothing dramatic. Everything cumulative. Trust does not collapse in virtual meetings. It erodes quietly. Here are 10 deeply practical levers most professionals ignore. 𝑬𝒚𝒆 𝑳𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑨𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 Your lens should be at eye level, not screen level. Even a small downward angle signals unintentional dominance or carelessness. Use a stand. Measure once. Standardize it. 𝑮𝒂𝒛𝒆 𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐 Trust increases when you look into the lens while making key points. Aim for 60 percent lens contact while speaking. Practice this deliberately. Record and review. 𝑩𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒐𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 Clutter signals mental noise. A neutral wall or intentional minimal setup increases perceived clarity. Audit your background like you would audit a pitch deck. 𝑳𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑫𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝑯𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒚 Front lighting improves facial clarity. Shadowed faces reduce warmth. Place a soft light source in front of you at eye height. 𝑭𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 A shaking camera equals unstable presence. Fix your device. Eliminate chair swiveling and table movement. 𝑴𝒊𝒄𝒓𝒐 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 Subtle facial shifts build trust. Use HD resolution and stable internet. Slow your expressions slightly to compensate for lag. 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝑭𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 Frame from mid chest upward. Too close feels intrusive. Too far feels disengaged. 𝑫𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑨𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒕 On screen, contrast beats luxury. Solid mid tones work better than micro prints. Ensure visual separation from your background. 𝑽𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝑺𝒚𝒏𝒄 If your facial expression is flat while making a strong claim, trust drops. Align facial engagement with message intensity. 𝑷𝒓𝒆 𝑪𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑷𝒉𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒚 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒕 Two minutes of posture correction. Slow breathing. Relaxed jaw and activated facial muscles. Your nervous system shows before your strategy does. Virtual trust is measurable. Clarity. Stability. Alignment. Warmth. Consistency. If you are leading teams, closing clients, or representing your organization, your screen presence is not cosmetic. It is economic. Would you pass your own visual trust audit? #VirtualPresence #ExecutivePresence #CorporateImage #LeadershipBranding #ImageConsulting #TrustBuilding #ProfessionalImpact #ApoorvaVerma