Do you go to gatherings or meetings with other people and then go and sit in another room, or choose to sit alone observing others while you make other calls or read a book?
The practices of people and organizations on video calls will provide insight into both a person’s outlook and an organization’s culture. While some see it as merely a remote meeting preferred in many ways for convenience, health, and practical reasons, others may see it as a necessary evil that permits them to undertake other functions.
A few reasons exist why people may need to be on a video call and not share the video. However, these are few. If we find ourselves or others constantly turning off their video, we should ask why. And similarly, if our organization follows a non-sharing practice, we may want to ask why.
If we commit to participate, we should engage, avoid side discussions or perform other work, or possibly we should state our intention and not participate at all. Again, it may only be zoom, yet our behaviors on the calls say more about us and our character and whether we can be counted on or not to be part of this team.
