Episode #177: Covid-19 And On-Line Presentation Skills

GIGO is a useful acronym from the past, which we can employ for the current problem we have conducting business meetings and presentations on-line. Garbage In Garbage Out on-line interactions is not what we want to be promoting in this current Covid-19 driven business and health crisis. Note that I put business ahead of health in this discussion. This is not to ignore or belittle the consequences for the health of those over 70 or with an existing health condition, who we know suffer the highest mortality rates. I just want to make the point that the business impact of the current crisis affects billions of people, while the virus affects hundreds of thousands. Businesses locate people in their homes rather than offices, to try and contain the contagion of the virus, yet companies are ill prepared for the human dimension of conducting business remotely.

There are tech issues around on-line meetings, which impact how many people can be on-line together and the stability of the streaming systems. There are also audio issues depending on whether you are using a headset with mic or just your computer mic. Many home offices in Japan are the dining room table or whatever can be rigged to set up the computer and not so many have a printer at home. Given the strong culture of working long hours at the office, the home office concept is relatively underdeveloped here. In fact, not so many Japanese companies issue laptops to staff, because everyone normally spends their entire time in the office using desktops.

There are also cultural issues around appearing on-line. Japanese homes were designated “rabbit hutches” back in the day, because of their small dimensions and crowded nature. Not much has changed, as most people live in small apartments. Turning on your camera to appear on-line, means you are now showcasing the family abode to everyone else. I do a lot of video conferences with Dale Carnegie in the US. One of the American meeting participants from Dakota, the land of endless vistas and big skies, noticed my camera background and asked me if I was doing the meeting in my closet. How could I explain Japan to her, so I just said “yes!”.

The upshot is that many participants joining the on-line meeting won’t want to show themselves and their homes to the other company members, so the ability to connect individually with everyone becomes more difficult. All you see is their name on screen and no face. Also, when you have many participants on-line, even if they leave their cameras on, the sheer weight of numbers reduces the individual on-screen boxes to a very small size. That means it is okay when you are talking, because your face is full screen, but everyone else looks like they are beaming in from Lilliput, where the people are six inches high. It is very hard to get any visual feedback to what you are saying, as the screens are too small and there are too many tiny faces to be able to focus.

We are now talking to nobody and everyone at the same time. We are speaking into a void, which can be very disconcerting. Usually people taking part in meetings when they are face to face, are underwhelming as presenters, but now the problem is amplified. They are dead dogs in person and become world champions at boring when they go on-line. The meetings become lifeless, mundane and rarely satisfactory or motivating. Your business communication becomes as dull as dishwater. Hardly a recipe for great work to be produced at home.

When we are on-line, we need to really power up our voice, use big gestures, bring energy to the screen and project our message with authority. Actually, all the things we should be doing in a face to face presentation. We have to go a bit harder than in person though, because we are reduced to a small screen version and that can minimise our messaging if we allow it. Don’t allow it. So go big, certainly much bigger than normal.

It is hard to see audience reactions, so ask for feedback. Most on-line systems have a chat box, so get people to write their feedback or questions there. Some systems allow checkmarks or icons such as smiley faces or raising hands. Get the audience to tell you when they have a question by raising a hand or that they are good to go with your message, with a reassuring check mark or a smiley face. Make the most of the tech available to you. As the presenter, you must remain the central focus though, just as you would in person. Keep people honed in on your message, by ramping up your presentation energy.

Free Live On Line Stress Management Sessions

On a separate note, we are running public Live On Line Stress Management classes, which will be free to all attendees on March 19 (English) and 24th (Japanese) and April 16th (Japanese) and 17th (English). We are also offering the same thing as an in-house programme, delivered Live On Line for our existing clients and for prospective clients. This allows us to help our clients and our community.

The registration process for these free stress management sessions is being offered on our website, so please go to this specific page: http://bit.ly/dale_stress_e