Do you enjoy being on camera? Some of us love it, some of us hate it, and some of us are ambivalent.
Whether you enjoy it or not, video conferencing has become a major form of communication during this time, and it’s probably here to stay. It can be a pretty awkward experience: navigating the software, checking that your microphone and video feed aren’t muted or hidden, and presenting to a bunch of blank screens.
Never fear: here are five tips to help you present with confidence, despite the external circumstances. These tips will help you appear confident and happy to be on camera (even if you aren’t!).
1. Look into the lens like it’s your best friend
Where’s the lens of your camera? Is it in the external web camera attached to your computer? Is it integrated as part of your computer? Is it in your smartphone? Get acquainted with its position, and when you are speaking avoid looking at the screen and do your best to look into the lens at all times. By doing so, your audience will have the experience that you are looking at them. This is akin to making eye contact when speaking with someone. Use the same kinds of body language you would do so when communicating in person: smile, nod, and indicate to your audience that you are attentive. They might be seeing you virtually, but this doesn’t mean that the usual forms of visual communication don’t apply.
2. Be present
This can be easier said than done. Often when we are in a conversation we are too busy thinking about what we are going to say next. Instead, practice active listening: don’t be attached to what you are going to say in response, but instead practice listening fully to the conversation. By listening in such an open way, you might pick up on cues in the conversation that you wouldn’t pick up when you’re listening only in order to respond. This kind of listening practice will also help you answer questions in an authentic way: further adding to the professionalism of your presentation.
There are many ways to improve your ability to be present in conversation. Some ways we have found to work very well include: improvisational theatre techniques, meditation, and practising gratitude. It also helps if you give yourself time before each meeting to manage any physical distractions in your environment.
3. Breathe before you speak
When it’s your turn to speak, give yourself a moment to take a breath and collect your thoughts. You might also need that moment to share your screen. By taking that breath, you give yourself time to collect your thoughts and consider how best to begin your sentence. When we are nervous, we risk rushing ahead with a clumsy response. Take the time you need to respond: it will help you give a more considerate response, and will improve how confident and professional you appear to your audience.
4. Slow down
Some of us speak faster when we are nervous. Practice slowing yourself down when presenting to camera. A few carefully considered words are more powerful than many unnecessary ones. In addition, leaving pauses between sentences can make us appear more confident and powerful. So, take a little more time and leave space for gaps as appropriate.
5. Avoid uhms and ahhs
Avoid saying “uhm” and “ahh” too often when speaking. There is no need to fill up every moment of your speaking time with these non-words. Again, leave gaps and your delivery will improve. This can be a long-established trait though, so it may take a long time to avoid taking this habit of “uhming and ahhing” into the future. The first step to improvement is self-awareness. So, if you can (and if you are game!), watch back footage of yourself and listen out for these “filler” words. Be kind to yourself, and just watch out for when you say them. With time and practice these “words” will drop out of your vocabulary and you’ll be feeling more confident on camera.
To learn more, sign up for our one-on-one or group training webinars where we go into more detail on these matters. If you’d like to learn even more, sign up here to find out when our online learning platform launches. It will include extensive training to help you present to camera with confidence.
