Until recently, when interacting with others, or addressing an audience, in person, you would have used visual clues, nods and body language to ensure that your argument is being followed or that you still have their attention, and even look over to your colleagues for confirmation and support when stating a point.
However, in a somewhat imposed digital ‘era’, either the visual cues are not available or it becomes risky to rely on them, as connections may be poor, screens can be frozen, or you can see only a small number of those that you are addressing.
Therefore, maybe it would be useful for all of us to agree to an online etiquette, to be mindful that if we are in a meeting and our microphone is on, typing frantically to an urgent email, may come across as disrespectful to whomever is talking at that specific time or the whole meeting’s attendees (unless you are taking notes or minutes, and even then it would be advised to be considerate and mute your mic).
Agree your own terms whilst remembering:
- To turn on or off your microphone when needed;
- To use verbal cues to indicate agreement;
- To use the ‘raise hand button’ when wanting to interject of find clarification;
We're all in this together.