Seven ‘Public Speaking’ Tips for Videoconferencing

In this new landscape of virtual work, the idea of “public speaking” may seem irrelevant. (What qualifies as public?) But good techniques for public speaking are just as applicable when joining an online meeting. In fact, honing your videoconferencing skills is crucial at a time when so many important decisions are being made without face-to-face meetings.

Videoconferencing Tips and Public Speaking Techniques

Here are some tips for confident and persuasive speech, tailored for videoconferencing.

1. Sit up in your chair. Avoid slouching or leaning on the table in front of you. Whether your colleagues can see you or not, pay attention to your posture. It is easier to breathe when you sit up straight. Breathing calms your nerves and helps you think better. You look and feel more alert. (This is a bonus of online meetings: You can check your posture and appearance to make certain you are in the frame, you look confident, and even if you like your hair.)
2. When it is your turn to talk, make “eye contact.” Be sure you are looking into your camera while speaking to address everyone directly.
3. Speak loudly enough to sound confident. Don’t trail off at the ends of sentences. Depending on everyone else’s audio, others may have trouble hearing you. Look away from the camera briefly to survey your colleagues’ responses. Can they hear and understand you?
4. Gesture as you normally do. Your hands help you think and speak more clearly. Make sure your screen/camera is far enough away that your gestures can be seen. It is OK to be passionate and emphatic!
5. Mute yourself when you are not speaking, especially during a conference with many participants. This eliminates extraneous noise. Before you begin the videoconference, make sure you know where the “unmute” function is, so you can go right to it when you are ready to take the floor.
6. If it is challenging to get a turn to speak, use gesture to gain the floor. Put your hand up as you begin to talk so people can see that you have something to say.
7. As often as possible, make the choice to appear on screen. Resist the impulse to join a call only by audio. It may take a few minutes to make yourself presentable, but that’s OK. Step up and be a part of our visual world.

More Great Tips for Polishing Your Presentation Skills (Online and Off)

• “How to Look Them in the Eye” by Marsha Hunter
• “Confidence Is Personal: Public Speaking Tips” by Chris Graham
• “How to Be a Better CLE Panelist” by Ruth Carter
• “Need to Communicate Complicated Stuff? Talk About People” by Chris Graham
• “Pro Tips for Creating Masterful Presentations”
• “Five Ways to Boost Your Confidence with Clients, Judges and Everyone Else” by Caren Ulrich Stacy
• “Stop Rough-Drafting and Learn to Speak with Precision” by Marsha Hunter
• “How to Master Your Fear of Speaking” by Mary Ellen Sullivan
• “The Trap of Vertical Speaking Notes” by Brian K. Johnson

Illustration ©iStockPhoto.com

More Great Tips on Polishing Your Presentation Skills (Online and Off)

• “How to Look Them in the Eye” by Marsha Hunter
• “Confidence Is Personal: Public Speaking Tips” by Chris Graham
• “How to Be a Better CLE Panelist” by Ruth Carter
• “Need to Communicate Complicated Stuff? Talk About People” by Chris Graham
• “Pro Tips for Creating Masterful Presentations”
• “Five Ways to Boost Your Confidence with Clients, Judges and Everyone Else” by Caren Ulrich Stacy
• “Stop Rough-Drafting and Learn to Speak with Precision” by Marsha Hunter
• “How to Master Your Fear of Speaking” by Mary Ellen Sullivan
• “The Trap of Vertical Speaking Notes” by Brian K. Johnson

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