Video Killed the Radio Star!

Rotary Telephones

“Ring! Ring!” “Ring! Ring!” followed by a sudden succession of shoes clambering across the kitchen floor, and someone shouting - I got it! Hello, 042 92 555 6879 Kieran Residents, (obviously this is an incorrect number). This was the sound of the daily sprinting race to answer the telephone in our house when I was a child, was it the same in your home?

We had a cream rotary wall phone in the kitchen, one with a long cord that allowed you to talk while walking around the kitchen, probably a hazard thinking back on it but gave us kids a great sense of sophistication. Playing reception, office, or general messing around with the phone was a regular occurrence in our home, I’m surprised anyone ever got through. We also had a red and black big button desk telephone that sat on the “hall telephone seat table”, just inside the front door. I can still see the wooden table and feel the soft maroon velvet cushion that covered the seat. Where did all the hall telephone seat tables go to, not to mention all the rotary and big button telephones?

I thought about this the other day as I packed away the baby’s toy, fisher price rotary telephone and how communication technology is ever-changing. At the same time, as it changes our core visceral experience and values that resonate with it are equally the same. Maybe I should install a rotary phone in the house just to watch the baby sprint up the hall to answer it. Come to think of it; I am not sure if it would ever ring. I don’t know anyone that has a landline or one that is at least in use. Pity though, rotary dials were like meditation; they forced you to slow down and concentrate. If you pulled the next number too soon, you had to start over from the top.

The last few months have brought change to every aspect of our lives, especially communication. Many of us are new to video calls whether on WhatsApp, FaceTime or Zoom, and the concept of virtual anything is puzzling and if you feel that way too, that's ok. Communicating over video is very different than in person. I heard a comedian saying recently on the radio that she can’t do a virtual stand up show, she needs to feed off the energy of the crowd and build momentum from them. One can feel the same on a video call; the lack of interaction, energy and engagement from a face to face conversation is a challenge we have to overcome whether in a professional or social capacity.

We are lucky to be living in a time that has had such technological advancements. Can you imagine going through the pandemic without a video call? How did people survive the summer of darkness in 1816 after Mount Tambora erupted? People couldn’t leave their houses due to the soot in the air, they had no electricity, poverty was rampant, and many died due to the climate abnormalities that caused the average global temperature to decrease by 0.4 - 0.7°c.

As puzzling and challenging as this new norm in communication is, it can also be a productive, rewarding, and joyous experience, whether talking to a family member, a friend or in a professional capacity.

On the weekend we had a virtual Zoom tea party with our family in South Africa. What fun we had, the children pretended to share their biscuits and tea via the screen. The adults also joined in, not wanting to miss out on an animal biscuit or two. Virtual coffees, water cooler chats, sundowners, are becoming the new norm at work too.

To embrace the change to communication, here are a few tips to look and sound your best on video.

There is only one of you, so Be You!

• Experts also say that what resonates most when communicating via video is authenticity, not perfection.

• Be upfront about the situation you’re in and potential interruptions. For example: “Just want to let you all know before we get started that my children are here with me, and they may suddenly make an unannounced appearance.”

Be a Tech Guru

• Become familiar with your technology. By this, I mean, both hardware such as webcams, headsets, and software such as Zoom, Google Meet that you are using. Take some time to understand the software’s capabilities and features like chat, mute, and virtual background.

Look Good

• Try to look straight at the camera. I know this is hard and distracting, but it will make you look better.

• Avoid awkward camera angles and framing, position the video camera at eye level and a comfortable distance from your face.

Sound Good

• Mute your audio when you’re not speaking to reduce background sound.

• Name people when you’re speaking to them; it helps them feel included.

• Mimic journalist and actors by varying your tone of voice to express your warmth and personality.

Eliminate Distractions

• Consider silencing your phone, for the duration of the meeting/call, just in case an unexpected telephone, text message or the latest trending TickTok video disrupts the flow of conversation.

Repeat Information Early and Often

• People often have a hard time hearing everything on a call. They may have intermittent connectivity, or they may be interrupted by things going on in their environment.

• People tend to speak over each other on video calls, not intentionally, of course.

• Put people at ease and communicate your content more effectively by acknowledging disruptions and making allowances for reiterating key points and summarizing content and next steps.

Practice!

• Some people make it look so easy! How do they do it? They practice. And so can you.

Be Kind

• We all have different experience levels when it comes to video conferences or calls. Let’s give everyone the space they need to figure it out.

Stay at home and stay safe,

Regards,

Working from Hawaii