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Remember those old Japanese movies where the
lips stop moving long before the voice stops
speaking? Too often that is what it’s like
participating on video-conference calls.
Usually, the sound technology is a poor
simulation of reality and the video makes the
participants look tiny.
But that won’t be the rule for much longer if
Telesuite,
http://www.telesuite.com/ ,
has its way . Telesuite is an Ohio-based start-up that wants
to make video-conferencing more user-friendly.
They are doing it with better technology and an
emphasis on trying to make video-conferences as
“real” as possible.
To do that, Telesuite equips its teleconference
“studios” with expensive looking conference
rooms. The participants sit facing a large
wrap-around screen that makes it feel like you
could reach out and shake hands with the person
across the table.
Of course you can’t shake hands because they’re
not across the table but across the country!
The sound is also perfectly synchronized to do
away with one of the biggest issues that plague
teleconferencing, sound lag.
Despite the wonderful technology, there are
still things that you should keep in mind when
communicating by teleconference.
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Don’t ignore the video-conferencers.
Often a handful of people join a larger
meeting by videoconference. The
video-conferencers sometimes get treated as
second class citizens. If you’re at the main
site for the meeting, be sure to include the
video-conferencers by looking into the camera
and addressing questions specifically to them.
And if you’re one of the video-conferencers,
participate actively in the meeting.
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Be energetic. Technology sucks the
energy out of your face and your voice. To
really come across effectively, you need to
speak with greater passion in the voice and
more pronounced expressions in the face.
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Dress for the camera. A light blue or
pastel shirt with a medium to dark jacket is a
good bet. Certain colors and combinations
confuse the camera and come across terribly.
High contrast (white shirt with a blue suit)
is bad. Patterns like plaid and stripes also
get fuzzy and distracting.
Speechworks helps clients communicate in a way that connects and
persuades. If you’d like help connecting with
listeners, call us at 404-266-0888. Or check
out our website at
www.speechworks.net. |
