Covid 19 has presented serious public health challenges across the globe since early 2020. As we approach the summer, more and more people have turned to videoconference platforms to work remotely, and to stay in touch with friends and family. Some are more comfortable than others with online communication. Issues with internet connections can occasionally impede the smooth flow of a meeting, but fortunately, most technical issues can be quickly resolved. Participants can also control three aspects of an online meeting, to ensure that a videoconference call achieves communication goals as planned. These include non verbal aspects of the conference call, tone, and speech clarity.
As a communication consultant and accent reduction coach, my normal work day, even prior to Covid 19, was primarily online. Most of my clients live across the United States, Asia, Europe and South America. One of the first things that I tell my clients is that even if working from home, it is important to try to set up a professional workspace. When one sees a client, coworker, customer, or your boss online, it is important to consider how you physically appear. The ideal set up is to have the top of a monitor raised to at least 18 inches above the surface/table (commonly 30 inches) it is resting on. A webcam should be above eye level. Clients who try to get by with manually holding their phone or ipad often end up with awkward positioning, in which other participants may be looking up someone’s nose. Consider your background and lighting as well. Even if working from home, act “as if” you are at work. Be well rested and dressed professionally, at least above the waist! It also does not appear professional to be reclining on a sofa or bed while working from home. Sitting up with straight posture also promotes better vocal tone.
Tone is important to consider before starting an online meeting. Up to 70% of your message is not conveyed verbally, but through your vocal tone. Many meetings begin in the morning when people may be tired. When one normally works at a physical workplace away from home, there is time to hydrate, and “wake oneself up” before meeting with coworkers or customers. People who start a meeting in the morning from home, as many must do remotely during this Coronavirus outbreak, should consider giving themselves plenty of time to wake up physically. This should include warming up and “waking up” your voice! Before you log onto a meeting, make sure you have hydrated with at least an 8 oz glass of water. Try some verbal warm up exercises such as counting to ten, or rehearsing out loud some of the items on your list to cover in the meeting. One can also take a deep breath and sigh or yawn, which can also relax your voice. Vocal fry is a creaky vocal quality that occasionally surfaces when a person is tired. In some cases if it persists, though not common, an ENT may be consulted. Morning vocal fry usually goes away after speaking for a few minutes. There are also other aspects of tone that should be considered in an online meeting, many of which I work on with my clients. Try to avoid speaking in a monotone, which can cause people to lose interest in what you are saying. Putting some added emphasis on important words may “wake up” your audience, and it can help make one feel more authentic.
Words are used to convey meaning but if words or parts of words are mispronunced, slurred, or deleted, participants in a videoconference meeting may not understand what is being said. People with strong foreign accents, and some native speakers who speak too quickly, or who have a strong regional dialect, may benefit from using better elocution. Speaking more slowly can be a first step, but if overdone, can create other problems. One way to check your clarity is to record yourself reciting a few of the important points planned for the meeting. People can often hear mispronunciations when playing back a recording of their voice, as well as noting the tone of their voice as described above. Check an online dictionary in advance, if uncertain about the correct pronunciation of key words. If one has a close relationship with a coworker or friend, try running by part of what is planned for an important meeting and ask for feedback. If additional help is needed, it may be helpful to consult with a professional accent trainer.
Thousands of people across the globe are turning to online platforms to connect for business and pleasure. Considering the physical environment, as well as nonverbal, verbal, and vocal aspects of communication, will enhance confidence for participating in successful videoconference meetings in the future.
