When it comes to virtual meetings and communication platforms, times
have sure changed. While way ahead of their time, The Jetsons cartoons
of the
1960s accurately
predicted virtual meetings, tele-health, online classes, and video calls.
But it sure took us a long time to get here. And even though video
communication technology has been around for a while, it only recently
became prevalent. It took a pandemic lockdown to make virtual meetings a
true everyday occurrence for many. As the world has changed, so have the
ways we act and interact on these platforms. So, what about Zoom
etiquette now?
Of course, I am using "Zoom" in the general sense. Video communication
etiquette rules or standards would be the same across all platforms.
Etiquette is typically defined as a customary code of polite behavior in
a particular society or group. Today, you might refer to them as
agreements or expectations.
Etiquette has been codified for centuries and continues to change. (If
you want a short and instructional read about its history, I encourage
you
to read
this.) In times of change, rethinking and re-codifying the norms for
acceptable behavior can be valuable.
Behavior standards are both defined and refined by the needs and culture
of your organization. In other words, the culture you have determines
what behaviors are necessary to meet the needs of that culture. Even if
the goal is to simply maintain the culture you already have. Clearly
defining the cultural needs will help everyone understand the norms,
standards, and agreements of meeting etiquette. While individual input
is valuable, they should be based on getting great organizational
results, not just personal preferences.
In terms of "getting great organizational results," there are some
standards of effective Zoom etiquette that I suggest. Here are a few
starting points.
You might deviate from some of these based on the specifics of your
organization. But don't just dismiss them because you "don't do it that
way" or that "isn't what we are used to." Remember our starting point -
getting great organizational results. If your meetings are great and
there are no etiquette issues, you probably don't need to implement
anything new. But if your meetings and virtual interactions need to be
more effective, consider these "Zoom etiquette" suggestions carefully.
First a bit about the word etiquette
So, what should our Zoom etiquette be?
Common Components of the New Zoom Etiquette