Are you getting ready to lead a meeting? Don’t be like these people (warning – hilarious video). Here are three of the most common, annoying distractions and how to prevent them from sabotaging your online meeting:
- Notifications. Switch Skype for Business to “presenter” mode to disable email notifications and Skype messages which would otherwise show on the screens of your attendees. If you use one of those time manager apps that reminds you to get up from your desk every 25 minutes, turn it off while you are presenting. This is especially important if you’re in HR, finance, legal, or any other profession where sensitive information could cross your screen.
- Desktop clutter. You can create a folder on your desktop called “Desktop Cleanup” or something similar, and temporarily move all the junk from your desktop there.
- Your own behavior. If you customarily conduct Skype conversations or “get (other) work done” during a meeting, you are more likely to forget yourself and do this while you are presenting. Try to make a point of giving your full attention to every meeting you are in, and you will reduce the chances of humiliating yourself when it’s your turn presenting! Juicy stories omitted.