Page 27 - April 2020

What the Mammals Learned

Or how to evaluate someone on Zoom

James Wantz, DTM

with absolutely no social life to speak of (finally, palatable, and participate as I am able (moving

you are all just like me!!). Your face-to-face club into a new house during a pandemic is a
meeting was cancelled. By now you’ve either singular experience. Everyone should do it!) I
spent a lot of time on Zoom or completely watch speeches and think to myself how would
avoided it. Let’s assume, for the sake of this someone evaluate a speaker on a Zoom platform?

article, that you are spending time on Zoom, Well . . . mammals did a great job of inventing
or Facetime, or any other video conferencing our current technologically advanced meeting
platform to attend your Toastmasters club format, but video teleconferencing presents
meeting. (If you haven’t checked out a Zoom a whole new set of skills that some mammals

Toastmasters meeting, now is the time!!). If you aren’t so good at (including me!!). Here is what
don’t ‘do’ Zoom—well, you can stop reading here. I’ve learned from watching Zoom speeches:
You won’t like the rest of the article. • Non-verbal communication is kaput.
Personally, I’m doing Zoom. I sit in front • Voices sound dead and lifeless.

of the camera, make sure my background is • Normal vocal inflections don’t translate
very well.
• There is nowhere to go!! Movement is right
out the...door. (Well, offscreen anyway.)

• If you don’t pin the speaker, you are liable

VOICES! | APRIL 2020 27