Although asynchronous communication is generally preferred, synchronous communication is still necessary in some situations and contexts. We use zoom.us to for all our video calls.
Zoom Meetings: Roles & Permissions (1)
We often think our conversations are all about voice, but in any face-to-face interaction we communicate constantly through facial expressions, body language, eye contact and more. These types of communication are just as important in remote conversations because they make communication more effective and help us to build relationships.
For these reasons, you should aim to have your video on for all Zoom calls (there are some exceptions). If you're not used to this, it can feel uncomfortable at first, but the more you do it, the more comfortable it feels!
You should also think about the quality of your video.
There are many ways you can improve your zoom video quality, and not just by buying a better webcam (although, that’ll work too!).
When considering your setup, think about where you’re positioned in front of your camera/webcam, your lighting, your backdrop, and how you can project a professional image for your colleagues.
Below are just a few examples of how you can set up your zoom video for best results.
In this one, I’m not centered on the camera.
Now I’m centered, but the background is too dark.
Here the bright light behind me is distracting and painful to look at.
This is better, but my camera isn’t at eye-level.
This isn’t quite appropriate (and I’m half asleep!)
In this one, I’m not looking at the camera.
Here the microphone is in shot and pretty distracting.