Body Language Tips For Virtual Meetings

Being self-aware of your body language is crucial in your communication efforts, even if you’re operating remotely. Nonverbal clues are just as significant in communication as your words and can help convey your message.

You’ll build better workplace relationships and find better success in business if you can express yourself nonverbally. Make sure you’re using your body to advantage in your virtual communication efforts by adhering to these tried-and-true strategies.

Eye contact

One of the easiest ways to appear engaged as an active listener in your efforts is to make eye contact with your peers. The eyes are a window into a person, and good eye contact allows you to form a lasting impression.

“On the other hand, failing to make eye contact can signal disinterest, dishonesty, or lack of confidence.” –Lolly Daskal

In a digital setting, you’ll need to balance the shifting perspective when other people talk and take center stage. Forbes’ Bianca Miller Cole writes to balance looking right at the speaking with looking directly into your camera so others can make eye contact with you. This may take some practice, but it’s philosophically the same idea as looking between different people in the room in a physical setting.

Facial expressions

Don’t put all the burden of effort on your eyes, though. You must utilize your facial expressions properly to sell your body language as well.

Leadership expert Lolly Daskal warns that inconsistent facial expressions can undermine what you’re saying, create distrust, or generate confusion. If you’re talking about a great sales plan, for example, and you’re frowning or shaking your head, it’ll make that plan sound not so great. Make sure to be aware of your expressions and make sure they match the tone of what you’re saying.

Also, make sure to smile when appropriate! It’ll add some friendliness and warmth against the cold backdrop of technology.

Posture

Make sure your physical form is making the same effort as your face is. Even if someone can’t see your entire form on camera, there’s plenty on screen for someone to see your posture. Good posture is a cornerstone of good body language.

Even while seated, your posture makes a world of difference. LinkedIn says you can present an air of professionalism and interest by keeping your shoulders back, your back straight, and your arms slightly out. Leaning forward also shows interest in the speaker while leaning back does the opposite. Avoid slumped shoulders and crossing your arms. While in some settings this might make you feel approachable and casual, in meetings it will make you appear distant and disinterested.

“Tilting your head is a natural response during conversations. It often indicates that a person is listening intently and thinking about your message.” –Indeed

Hand gestures

In a virtual setting, your hands might be out of view for most of the meeting. But don’t be afraid to bring them on screen in the right manner to enunciate your message!

Indeed says good hand usage can make or break your message, especially during interviews. When you aren’t speaking, it’s a good idea to keep your hands on your lap or at your side. But when speaking, don’t be shy about bringing them up to express excitement or gesture meaningfully. Just make sure not to cover your face on camera.

“Having your hands open is a sign of transparency and honesty, while it is essential to remember that pointing or crossing your arms can look aggressive to some.” –i3-Technologies

Framing

One major challenge you’ll face remotely is in framing your face within the camera. It’s hard to express body language if your body isn’t framed visibly on the screen. Finding the right distance to show enough of you without being too much of a close-up or having you three rooms away is the challenge.

Communication aficionado Jelena Fisic says the sweet spot is to have your entire head, shoulders, and the top of your torso on screen. Having just your head in view limits your body language arsenal. You want enough space to be able to bring your hands into play.

Avoid distractions

In a physical setting, meetings are usually conducted in a separate room to minimize distractions, but you won’t have that luxury remotely. Remote work is nice because it allows you to easily multitask, but visibly multitasking in a meeting is bad form.

Fellow’s Hannah Ross says that while you might think you’re being discrete, it isn’t hard for a viewer to track your eyes and see that you’re focused elsewhere. This will not only make you appear disinterested but it is disrespectful to whoever is speaking.

In order to also not be a distraction for others, Ross recommends picking an uncluttered background.

Wrap up

By being aware of the vibe you’re giving off with your body during virtual meetings, you can practice intentionality to make your message more effective. Following the aforementioned tips will make you appear more engaged, more persuasive, and more likely to form good business relationships in your next virtual meeting or interview.

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How To Create A Culture Of Belonging In The Workplace

Now more than ever, workers want a culture of value in their workplace. Workers rightfully want to feel that their work has meaning and that their contributions matter. For this type of culture to exist, everyone in the organization needs to commit to creating a space of belonging.

“Belonging at work is a feeling of community with the people and environments that make us feel connected.” –LaFawn Davis, Indeed

From the people in charge to workers on the ground floor, it takes everyone in a company to foster a sense of belonging. If you want to be part of the solution, we’ve curated meaningful tips to build that culture.

Bring everyone on board

It seems obvious that for everyone to feel involved, you must actually involve everyone, but what exactly does that entail? How can an organization put that philosophy to life?

It starts with extra communication and eliminating a sense of “outsiderness,” according to Jackie Wiles and Jordan Turner of Gartner.

“Seven out of 10 employees say their organization fails to inform them of opportunities to promote inclusion in their day-to-day work.” –Wiles and Turner

Start by actively encouraging employees to appreciate what everyone brings to the table and encourage them to make sure every voice is heard. And if you’re in a leadership role, make sure to do this visibly to lead by example. Meanwhile, strive to notice and appreciate individuality and make sure not to take a one-size-fits-all approach.

Invest in growth

Another way to show you want your team members to feel like part of an actual team is to invest in their growth. A company willing to invest time and growth in their employees will see a great return on investment.

Employers should offer upskilling opportunities and opportunities for growth, if available. When a company takes extra time and resources to help its employees grow, it shows that you value that team member. Feeling like an important player in the organization will foster increased belonging along with having a more skilled workforce,

Forbes’ William Arruda says to go even further and provide team training and coaching programs on important topics to help workers gain a stronger sense of their abilities and to provide bonding opportunities with their team members.

Share the spotlight

Something anyone in an organization can do to grow a sense of belonging is to elevate others and spread and share the spotlight. No one likes a manager or project leader that hogs credit, and if you’re willing to highlight everyone’s accomplishments and unique skills, you’ll build a stronger culture.

“Model inclusive behavior by being empathetic and listening to all voices on your team, including those who may feel “othered.” –Julia Taylor Kennedy and Pooja Jain-Link

Julia Taylor Kennedy and Pooja Jain-Link of Harvard Business Review state that a good senior leader is inclusive. Create diverse teams and elevate those on the team. Highlight the accomplishments of those who may feel “othered” and make sure they feel seen.

Even if you aren’t a team leader, you can still publicly praise your coworkers and thank them for any effort or help you receive from them. This goes a long way toward showing someone you consider them an equal and value their contributions.

Be generous with appreciation

At the end of the day, the easiest way to forge a culture of belonging is to be generous with your gratitude and show empathy at every given chance. Simple acts of kindness and thanks go a long way.

William Arruda says that the best leaders are those with high emotional intelligence, and highly emotionally intelligent people understand that people want to be appreciated. A simple “I appreciate the work you do” can pay massive dividends.

Entrepreneur’s Terrell Strayhorn says that certain micro-actions can lead to belonging. In addition to thanks, welcoming newcomers publicly, having route check-ins, and bringing up their talents uprooted make an employee feel seen and appreciated.

Wrap up

A company culture’s effort to foster belongingness should start at the top, but everyone in the organization can do their part to help. Whether it’s grand gestures, providing growth and leadership opportunities, or simply expressing gratitude, anyone can make the workplace more inclusive. Take these tenets to heart and find your own ways to make your team feel included!

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Leadership Habits To Develop For Career Growth

If you’re looking to get far in your career, you’ll need to invest in your leadership skills. Even if you aren’t currently in a leadership position, finding ways to hone and show off leadership-related traits is vital to moving up the career ladder.

Soft skills are the key to showing your employer that you’re ready to take on a bigger role in the workplace. The experts at FlexJobs covered nine leadership habits to develop for career growth. We look at some of our favorites and add our own insights.

Support your team

The best leaders are those that elevate their team members to new heights by celebrating their accomplishments and putting them in the best position to succeed. Leaders that make people actually want to follow them are the most successful.

You don’t have to actually be a manager or project leader in order to hone or show off this skill. FlexJobs’ Kimberli Lowe-MacAuley suggests offering to train or mentor new team members along with creating opportunities to make sure every team member is heard.

“Visibly exude caring, compassion, and concern for employees. Thoughtfully administer rewards and recognition (tailoring to employee preferences for how they like to be rewarded), ensure employees have robust personal growth and development plans, and unswervingly show respect.” –Scott Mautz, keynote speaker

Another step is to share credit and accept blame when necessary. You’ll build goodwill with your team by celebrating their accomplishments and taking responsibility for your own shortcomings rather than shifting blame.

Focus on the big picture

Adjusting your focus is a great way to change your mindset and think like a leader. Learn to see the forest for the trees and start thinking about the big picture.

Kimberli says to offer solutions that have a greater effect than just the needs of your team. Leaders have to think of what is good for their entire organization, and pitching an idea that doesn’t directly benefit you shows thinking from the top and a willingness to make sacrifices.

Forbes’ Erin Urban also writes that sometimes this means focusing on relationships over immediate results. This connects with the above point of supporting your team. Taking the blame for an issue might make you look bad in the immediate future, but your team will respect your efforts to fight for them.

Be a self-starter

It can be hard to show leadership skills if you aren’t leading a team or even a part of one. But one of the strongest ways to show you have leadership potential is to always be proactive and find ways to contribute.

Kimberli writes that being someone always willing to suggest new ideas and taking initiative is a great way to get noticed by the bosses. If you aren’t afraid to step up and float an idea, this shows creativity and a willingness to do the extra work.

Walden University suggests you can go even further by learning to anticipate organizational needs. This shows a strong understanding of the organization, a focus on the big picture, and the proactive approach needed in a leadership role.

Look for growth opportunities

Another sign of a great leader is the ability to keep growing and learning. A strong leader needs to be able to adapt and make decisions, and by constantly learning new skills, you’ll be ready to make those decisions.

Kimberli says to find training courses and workshops, even if they aren’t required for your role. You can also take advantage of any tuition reimbursement opportunities and take courses to keep learning and upskilling. Do some research to find out what your organization can offer and take advantage!

“Individuals that develop a growth mindset believe they are capable of learning and their talents, abilities and intelligence is not static. They believe in their ability to “figure things out.” They trust that their hard work and persistence will help them develop the skill set to meet a particular challenge or need.” –Jackie Capers-Brown, LinkedIn

Forbes’ Ashira Prossack also suggests finding a mentor to learn from. An experienced leader in your organization will have insights that can’t be found in an article or in a course, and this person will directly see you making efforts to learn and better yourself. They might be able to recommend you for a promotion down the road.

Wrap up

You don’t have to already be a leader in the workplace to show off your skills. By simply being a collaborative team member, focusing on the big picture, and taking initiative and finding ways to grow, you’ll show your employer you have the skills to take the next step and earn that coveted promotion!

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Offering Constructive And Respectful Feedback At Work

We all want to grow as people, and our professional lives are no exception. We desire success and to feel valued, but we can’t do it alone. Feedback from others helps us improve and see things from a different perspective. Yet it isn’t always easy delivering or receiving feedback. Our egos ofttimes get in the way and make it difficult to accept criticism, and it’s hard to strike a delicate balance of offering helpful feedback that doesn’t go too far.

Delivering effective and assistive feedback is something every leader needs to master. But even if you aren’t in a leadership role, if you work with other people, you’ll eventually have to offer feedback. Make sure the feedback you offer is both helpful and respectful by following these tenets.

“We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.” -Bill Gates

Choose the right time

Feedback is often in reaction to some sort of mistake, and sometimes, those mistakes are big ones. But don’t react in the heat of the moment, and remember that hindsight is 20/20.

Monica Torres writes about the balance between reacting too soon, while emotions are raw and too late, where the colleague might not learn the lesson or both parties will remain stressed. It’s important to take time to find perspective, give the other person an opportunity to correct their mistake in their own ways, and find the right way to address the person.

Be emphatic and consider what the other person is going through. They may not be in the headspace to take your feedback to heart if it’s too soon. If possible, provide the necessary feedback in private. A good way for your thoughts to fall on unlistening ears is to make someone feel called out in front of the team.

“Put things into perspective so that you can have the discussion in a better mood.” –Andres Lares

Focus on the issues and offer solutions

Even when you choose the right time and place, it can still be difficult communicating your feedback. People are often afraid of criticism, and it’s incredibly easy to phrase something in a way that makes the other person defensive.

CNBC Make It’s Aditi Shrikant suggests avoiding any phrasing that implies blame. The words you pick should include encouragement, so avoid phrases like “You should have..” or “If I were you…”

Make sure to focus on the specific issues both for clarity and to prevent someone from getting defensive. They’ll know the exact issue you’d like to discuss, and by focusing on the issue instead of them as a person, they’ll be much more receptive.

“If you are the feedback recipient and someone is pointing out an error or mistake but you’re not really clear on what went wrong or what the result was, that’s not really useful.” -Gianna Driver

Finally, make sure to offer solutions as part of your feedback and offer to be a part of that solution. Tangible actions reinforce the idea that an issue is a problem, not a person. And Monica Torres notes that your kindness helps your team member recover after a mistake and prevents them from lashing back.

Create a culture of feedback

Feedback should offer tangible ways to improve and suggestions on what can be done differently. But that feedback will have more impact if it comes from a culture of feedback. A culture where feedback is consistently received—and given—will allow your team to take that feedback to heart with more frequency.

Forbes’ Claire Schmidt suggests that this culture starts from the top. Create channels of feedback, including regular performance reviews, project reviews, anonymous platforms for communication, and surveys. This proves your organization welcomes communication and provides multiple avenues for feedback to be given or received.

Be able to receive feedback

Because a culture of feedback starts from the top, you need to be open to receiving feedback of your own. Someone is much more likely to accept the opinion of someone that listens to them as well.

If you’re in a leadership role, respectfully listening to feedback makes you much more approachable and paints you as an empowering leader, according to SuperBeings’ Dhanashree Jadhav. But even if you aren’t in a leadership role, the same philosophy applies. A team member is going to be more accommodating and collaborative if you’ve shown a pattern of thoughtfulness in the past, and they’ll know your feedback is from a place of respect.

It’s easy to view feedback as an attack or criticism, but by helping create the right culture, you’ll know it comes from a good place.

Wrap up

By choosing your moments, focusing on actions, and offering solutions, you’ll offer effective feedback that won’t come across as an attack. By building a culture of feedback and being open to feedback of your own, you’ll create an atmosphere of camaraderie where team members aren’t afraid of growth opportunities. We all want to improve. Sometimes, it just takes a friendly peer to figure out how.

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Ditch These Phrases To Become More Confident

Whether you’re applying for your first job, branching out into a career change, or you’re an experienced leader, confidence is crucial in establishing yourself in your career. Becoming truly confident in your work life can be a lifelong process, but there are small steps you can take right now to lay the necessary foundation.

By doing something as simple as self-monitoring the language you use on a daily basis, you can avoid phrases that portray a lack of confidence. When you use the right language, not only will you appear confident to others, but you’ll convince yourself as well.

Ladder’s Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes’ Christine Comaford, Inc’s Marla Tabaka, and CNBC Make It’s Kathy and Ross Petras cited some key phrases to ditch in order to exemplify confidence. We’ll categorize them and highlight a few of the most egregious examples.

Verbal qualifiers

“Almost: “I think I’ve said almost everything about that.”” -Christine Comaford

The core of what you’re saying can express your idea effectively, but a single word or innocuous phrase will take the power away from your message. In the above example, the speaker could have finished strong, but the phrase “I think” and the word “almost” take the wind out of the sails.

Qualifying words like the two above lead to being perceived as a weak leader or speaker. When you use these words, you aren’t owning the statement you’re making, and you’re disconnecting from your feelings, according to Christine Comaford. These words take the authority away from the speaker, making you appear weaker.

Med School Insiders lists adding “Does that make sense?”, “Know what I mean?”, and “I dunno” as other common qualifiers nervous speakers will add to the end of their ideas that express a lack of confidence.

Simply removing the qualifiers keeps the core of your message intact while making it appear stronger. Marla Tabaka provides the following:

“I just feel like this is an important problem for us to explore.” vs. “This is an important problem for us to explore.”

Which sounds more confident to you?

Being indirect or cliched

“I just wanted to check in…” – Kaitlyn McInnis

No matter who you’re speaking to, you have agency. While you should always be respectful, just because you aren’t in a position of power doesn’t mean you have to be meek. Make the most of your time by speaking clearly and confidently.

Opening an email with “I just wanted to check in” and closing with “Looking forward to hearing from you” are common cliches that Kaitlyn McInnis says to avoid. These phrases, and the ones like them, are dancing around the subject instead of getting to the heart of the matter. These phrases can even make it sound like you’re apologizing for simply requesting information or a follow-up.

“I hope this email finds you well” is another fan non-favorite. Not only is it a massive cliché, but no one actually talks like this. It’s a greeting of the inexperienced. A simple “good wishes” or “I hope you’re having a great day” feels more natural and sincere.

Over apologizing

“Sorry to bother you, but…”- Kathy and Ross Petras

Tying into the above point, the problem with many of these words in phrases is that they appear overly apologetic. You shouldn’t feel like you’re impeding on someone’s time with a necessary request.

Apologizing when necessary is something everyone should strive for, but when you’re following up or asking for clarity, you shouldn’t feel excusatory.

Kaitlyn McInnis suggests finding ways to turn an apology into a thank you. If it took you a while to respond to an email, thank the sender for their patience rather than apologize for the tardiness. We all have things come up, and everyone should be willing to forgive the occasional late email.

“Sorry to bother you” is one of the most guilty examples. Kathy and Ross Petras say that you can appear much more confident and less self-deprecating with a simple “excuse me.” It’s a polite way to garner attention without belittling yourself. Remember—being direct is a sign of confidence!

Wrap up

We all fall victim to these weak phrases, and some of them are so ingrained in our vocabulary that we don’t even realize it! Take some time to self-reflect and analyze your language choices. You can even go back to previous emails or texts to see if you’re guilty of these practices. Avoid qualifying language, be direct and sincere, and don’t apologize simply for existing. These small steps will go far in making you sound confident to your peers and, with luck, yourself!

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