"Get Comfortable with Zoom": Resources

As a public speaking coach, speechwriter, and former jazz singer, my life has been about live communications.

Oh, well!

Now that “shelter in place” (or some variant) is a fact of life for hundreds of millions around the world, lots of people are scrambling to master socializing and working online. That’s why I recently gave several free “Get Comfortable with Zoom” workshops for readers of my newsletter.

Want to know what they learned? Below you’ll find:

The slides from that class, and a video of one session;
Other resources to help you master this brave new world; and
A form for contacting me about individual coaching or group training sessions.

“Get Comfortable with Zoom” Slides

Click here to DOWNLOAD THE SLIDES from my “Get Comfortable with Zoom” video workshops.

And if you’d like to WATCH THE VIDEO from an actual workshop, click this link.

It’s All About Connecting on Video:

These blogs posts will show you how to apply public speaking best practices in a video environment:

NOTE: My website has more than 250 blog posts to help you with all aspects of public speaking. Explore the categories in the right-hand column, or start with this list of my most popular posts. And to learn more about job interviews or public speaking in general, check out my books!

Learning Materials from Zoom:

I found these training videos helpful:

Getting Started with Zoom Meetings (30 minutes)
Zoom Meetings (Advanced Training) (60 minutes)

NOTE: Zoom also has a wealth of other materials — both written, and pre-recorded video tutorials — and offers live training sessions throughout the week.

A Not-Random Sampling of Tips and Views

These days, there are many people writing and thinking about how to do Zoom well. Here are a few of my favorite articles and videos:

How to Prevent Zoom Bombing, Jill Duffy (PC Magazine) [If you read only one article, this is the one, because Zoom is AWFUL on privacy and security, as “Zoom Bombing” has shown. Here are the steps to take to protect yourself and your meeting partner.]
How to Look Good on Camera, Tom Ford (NY Times)
14 Simple Tips for Better Online Teaching, Kyungmee Lee (The Conversation)
Zoom Tips for the Modern Age, Seth Godin (one of my favorite observers of our business world, even though we disagree about eating on a call; you can make it a lunch meeting! :-))
The Dos and Don’ts of Online Video Meetings, Brian X. Chen (NY Times)
Don’t Ask Me to Turn on My Camera for Work Calls, “The Only Black Guy in the Office” (Medium)
Online Learning Increases Employee Engagement: Seven Learning Styles, Anne Loehr (Center for Human Capital Innovation)
Teleconference Tips, Lauren Sergy (CTV News, Edmonton)

External Microphones and Cameras

If you aim for a high level of video professionalism, consider getting some external equipment.

These two USB microphones are recommended to performance and theater tech students at SUNY Purchase by their A/V department:

Blue Snowball – USB plug n’ play microphone
Blue Yeti – Next model up of previous mic

This camera was mentioned in a Zoom training video; it’s well-reviewed and (relatively) affordable:

Logitech Brio Webcam

Those BBC Videos

Lots of workshop attendees enjoyed these two videos, which show (and then spoof) how we all try to stay super calm and cool on virtual calls. They’re a good reminder that it’s okay for us to be fallible/human. 🙂

OK, Back to Business: Learn Exactly What You and Your Team Need to Know

If you’d like to learn and practice the skills you or your team need most right now, contact me to set up a customized individual or group session.

Query

And Lest We Forget Where This Whole Thing Started…

My favorite coronavirus pick-me-up, My Corona, by Chris Mann:

Stay Safe, Everyone,
Jezra

“Get Comfortable with Zoom”: Resources