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6 Moves6 chapters · Practice

Own the Video Call: Presence on Zoom, Teams, and Meet

Framework: 6 Moves - one per moment a video call tests you

chapters
1.Look Like You're There2.Speak Up Without Talking Over3.Bring the Energy4.Handle Silence and Lag5.Present Without Losing the Room6.Own the First Thirty Seconds★ Practice
chapters (6)
1.Look Like You're There2.Speak Up Without Talking Over3.Bring the Energy4.Handle Silence and Lag5.Present Without Losing the Room6.Own the First Thirty Seconds★ Practice
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Chapter 1Free preview

Look Like You're There

The moment. You join the call and you're a dim, chin-up thumbnail looking off to the side.

What most people do

Sit below the camera, lit from behind, eyes on the other person's face on screen - so they never seem to make eye contact.

Why it misfires. On video, "eye contact" means looking at the lens, not the face. Looking at the screen reads as looking away. Bad framing and lighting quietly say "I didn't prepare".

The rewrite

Camera at eye level, face lit from the front, and glance at the lens when you speak - especially on your key line.

The move: camera at eye level, look at the lens. Raise the camera to eye height, light your face, and look at the lens for the moments that matter. It's the difference between "present" and "phoning it in".

Your turn

Set your camera to eye level and practise looking at the lens while you say one sentence.

Edge cases. You can't hold lens-contact the whole time - aim for it on your opening line and your main points, and look naturally otherwise.

This week

Fix your framing and lighting once, and look at the lens on your next call's key moment.