Online meetings are...something else

Nowadays, with the presence of computers and phones with cameras, one can have meetings almost anywhere. The need to commute to have meetings have been significantly reduced, and if used properly, online meetings can be a real productivity booster.

That being said, there needs to be some other things that can be said about online meetings. Some of these comments may appear to be funny to some, but taken for what they are worth, they are quite serious. In many cases, they can make or break your career as an online service provider.

Here are some situations worthy of consideration when participating in online meetings:

• Get into your role - attending a meeting laying in your bed is just bad news, especially when you're tired from a really cramped schedule. You are unable to competently function and more often than not, the meeting would either be filled with unexplained silences or the buzz of something sounding like a lumberyard in full swing will come over the mic if you are not muted and fell asleep. It is better to get up and go to a chair where you can be upright and alert. 
• This caught a computer techie who was unaware that their camera was on. Their top half was dressed for the meeting, not the bottom part as we found when they got up to retrieve a document. Their camera was still on, and the rest of the participants could not unsee what they witnessed. 
• Choose your neighbourhood carefully - one would expect that you've paid so much for your home that you should be able to at least have a meeting there in the privacy of your dwelling. Consider the time of day and the factors over which you have no control. Children that are not yours can be boisterous, and dogs you don't own can bark incessantly. Both of which are uncomfortable for the other participants to have to endure. Sometimes you may have to consider finding a meeting area outside of your home. 
• Know your technology - it is evolving so quickly that many of us are still learning how to use it. However, the meeting room is not the place to have the tutorial going for yourself to learn. Gain your competence ahead of time, so that you're in control of the environment if you're the host. 
• Be presentable - it comes back to not knowing if your camera is on or not. Be well-groomed and not unkempt. Though others in attendance may be kind not to say anything, beware of the customer that doesn't complain, they don't come back. 
• Govern your language/behaviour - swearing under your breath in unacceptable, especially if your mic is on and you're wearing a headset. This extends to eating/drinking during the call. It will be picked up with these sensitive bits of equipment. 
• Know how to share your screen to demonstrate a point is key. Ensure that all of your open tabs only show content appropriate for the meeting you are in. Sometimes online service providers may work for competing entities especially in this day with so many SMEs. 

So the next time you're planning an online meeting, take note of what was considered above. Ensure you are in a location with great bandwidth. Ensure that your background is suitable to be viewed, and have a great meeting.