Affiliations offer companionships, respect and safety which is why folks belong and groups grow. The negative side is when we become one voice and all yes people. We all want relationships that bring us the foundation pieces. How do we remain our individuality and keep the group strong and with integrity and honesty? It is a burning question I have. Hopefully, groups will keep this issues on the forefront.

Humor goes a long way towards helping to relax difficult situations and to put everyone at ease. I am by nature a serious person, but I find adding a dash of humor makes the day and a meeting easier. Humor is not always about telling jokes; it is also smiling and looking at the lighter side of things. A laugh once a day makes life a lot easier. “Humor is mankind’s greatest blessing,” said author Mark Twain.

During the pandemic, it is proper etiquette to politely refuse an invitation if masks will not be worn. Ask the hosts before the event if individuals will be required to wear a mask. If masks are not required, there is no need to say you will not be attending due to the lack of masks. Politely state that you will not be able to attend. If they ask why, it is your personal decision whether to let them know why you will not be attending. It is important to respect others and respect how one feels about the wearing of masks.

Here are some of the “don’ts” to avoid when promoting virtually and working to engage the audience. Some of the speakers running for office missed the mark at the Toastmasters International annual meeting. The issues included:

• A background that washed out the visual appearance of speaker.
• Having a lack of engaging facial expression.
• Using a very serious, dry tone of voice.
• Visual technical problems.
• Audio technical problems.
• Making clothing choices that did not enhance the speaker’s appearance. For, women, their appearances were too plain at times. For men, the jacket and tie combinations appeared stiff and intimidating at times.
• Using a negative pitch.
• Using generalized challenges.
• Keeping these “do’s” and “don’ts” in mind when presenting virtually can help you to capture your audience’s attention and help your pitch be successful.
• Telling personal story that rambled and was a bit too long.
• Using a negative pitch.
• Using generalized challenges.

  Keeping these “do’s” and “don’ts” in mind when presenting virtually can help you to capture your audience’s attention and help your pitch be successful.

Promoting a product or an idea virtually in a meeting can be tricky. Here are some of the “do’s” that work to help engage the audience. These aspects helped the members running for office and speaking at the Toastmasters International annual meeting:

• A visually appealing background that aligned with the personal appearance of the speaker.
• An engaging tone of voice and excellent audio sound.
• An engaging personal appearance. Making good color and clothing choices. For women, adding a nice, sophisticated touch of jewelry. For men, wearing a white shirt and a tie that is a good color choice.
• Smiling and use engaging facial expressions.
• Sharing a quick, related personal story (such as when someone asked them why they were a member of Toastmasters).
• Asking the audience to consider how this vote would affect them.
• Giving a pitch to the audience as to why the audience members should vote for them.

It is easy to be misunderstood in virtual meetings. Facial cues and tone of voice are more difficult to discern. In order to avoid misunderstandings and potential conflict, try to ask questions without making judgements. When differences in opinions or viewpoints arise, offer another point of view as a way to create like thinking. Keeping these tactics in mind during virtual meetings will help to create a strong team.

Egos are fragile. The wisest person is the one without a glaring ego. How does one keep it in check? Be aware of the trigger or triggers, such as speaking without letting another person have a voice. Surround yourself with individuals who bring talent to the table. Don’t hire individuals who agree too much with you. Seek honest feedback, even when it hurts. Remember not to act like the smartest person in the room.

It is important to analyze and review our mistakes because they can become learning lessons. If we don’t determine what caused the mistake and how it affected ourselves or others, we are doomed to repeat it. First, it is important to acknowledge the mistake. This, in and of itself, can be difficult. Then we should consider what caused the mistake. Was it a lack of understanding or was it due to emotions? I personally write my mistakes in a journal. I jot down the cause and the effect. This helps me to be aware of how I can manage the problem more effectively if the situation occurs again. Learning from a past misstep can prevent you from making the same mistake twice.

Clothing choices can become a symbol and an identity. We are currently in a stay-at-home situation. It is very easy to become relaxed in our clothing choices (the apparel industry is having challenges). So why do we have to change outfits daily? After all, no one sees us. There are important reasons. Changing outfits, tops, pants, etc. every day gives us a sense of purpose. It can impact how we feel and give a sense of identity. When we don’t care how we look and what we wear, we can lose a sense of personal pride. This feeling can begin to erode our sense of identity and impact other choices we make.

When putting a team together, it is wise to create a communication guideline questionnaire. The questionnaire should indicate expectations, timelines, and communication vehicle preferences (ex. email, phone, or text). Each team member should put their expectations down on paper. These guidelines would be discussed at the first team meeting. Together, the team decides what works best in order for the team to be an effective group. The majority should rule, with personal exceptions. When working from home, it is best to have determined hours.