Essential Rules for a Successful Video Group Chat

These days, video conferencing technology has made meetings easier and much more convenient for teams all over. If you run a remote team, video meetings ensure better collaboration and results. Knowing how to do it right, though, is crucial. Here are a few essential rules to a successful video group conference:
Log in early
Have an afternoon meeting? You might want to log into the program in the morning to make sure you won’t have to undergo any updates. This will give you plenty of time to check and test for any problems. Use this time to download any program updates if necessary. When it’s finally time, you know you can simply log into the meeting without any worries and delays.
Check and tweak the settings
Don’t join the meeting until you’ve checked the settings on your tools. Check if the microphone isn’t muted, for starters. Look at the camera angle as well. The default setting isn’t likely to put you in the best light so you’ll have to adjust the settings, the Fast Company says.
Adjust the lights
If you’re using the BlueJeans video group chat app to join that meeting from home, make sure you pick the right spot. Proper lightning is essential. Determine the room’s light source and position yourself accordingly. Don’t sit with an overhead light behind you or this will throw your face in the dark.
Wear the right clothes
It doesn’t matter if you’re doing this meeting from home. You probably won’t be showing up to a boardroom meeting in your PJs anytime soon and the same rule applies. Keep to a professional keel by looking presentable for the meeting. Make sure you’re properly dressed from head to toe. If you need to stand during the meeting, you won’t have to find yourself in an awkward position simply because you aren’t wearing any pants.
Mute your microphone
Don’t leave your microphone on when you aren’t using it. Otherwise, you’re letting ambient noise come in and that could prove a distraction to the rest of the people in the meeting. Too much of those distractions could disturb the flow of the discussion and put you in the spotlight in the worst way.
Be mentally present
Stay engaged throughout the meeting, says the Entrepreneur Don’t browse through your emails or play a game, no matter how surreptitiously. You’re bound to be noticed and that’s not the kind of attention you’ll want to draw.
Lock your door
Have kids or pets at home? Keep them from the area by locking your door. However, this can depend on how tolerant your workplace is of distractions. If your colleagues don’t mind seeing your cat walk back and forth the screen or your toddler regularly comes to say hi during these meets, that’s fine. However, if you have an appointment with potential clients or the big bosses on your team, it would be wise to keep the door locked for the duration of the meeting.
Look at the camera
Remember to look at the camera when you talk. That’s going to help keep your audience engaged. Use a well-modulated voice to keep them engaged. If you happen to be part of the audience, participate. Raise valid points and make sure you know the points you want to raise. Don’t squint at your notes all the time since that gets in the way of the eye contact.
Don’t eat
We know you’re starving. But unless your team is comfortable with you eating throughout the meet, skip this. If you’re doing a video conference with remote teams for the first time, hold that impulse to reach for a cracker or your half-finished burger. Wait until the meeting is over.
Speak clearly
Don’t mumble. Speak clearly. Take the time to enunciate the words carefully. Learn to regulate your voice so it won’t be too soft or too loud for your meetings. You might want to practice this ahead of time so you’ll be able to pull this off during your meetings without a hitch.
Send a summary of the meeting
If you’re facilitating the discussion, don’t forget to assign someone to send a report on the minutes of the meeting. This way, everyone’s going to be on the same page on the issues and topics that were raised and resolved during the meeting.
Check your tools
Don’t forget to check your tools after the meeting. Were you able to use the right tools for the job? Do you think the tools were effective? Did it make the meeting easier or not? Was there a point during the meeting when you felt that the tools you were using weren’t enough? Consider these questions carefully. Finding the right tools will help you carry out your tasks with greater speed and efficiency. With these questions, you’ll know if it’s time to look for a new video conferencing system or not.