Despite all the tools for remote communication, teleconferences differ significantly from face-to-face meetings. Switching to remote work, we suddenly lose the entire range of messaging, from a discreet whisper to gently showing the watch to a suggestive kick under the table. In the virtual world, our ability to read these small gestures and emotions of other participants has been sharply limited. If you add the stress of continuous work from home, it’s no wonder that online meetings are often not very constructive.
Cards for visual communication
If we can’t use all communication channels, maybe we could at least make the most of the existing ones. With this idea in mind, we have prepared a deck of cards that you can print at home and use during your meetings.
Virtual meetings’ participant cards consist of eighteen signs with the most popular gestures for your next conference call. Instead of interrupting each other, you can quickly make a decision, show emotions, ask to speak or discreetly let others know that you need a coffee break. Of course, each card can have more than one meaning. For example, “Yes” can also mean “+1” or “Super!” It is worth establishing a “common language” with all of the participants in the meeting to avoid potential misunderstandings.
Let us know how our cards work, which one(s) you use most often, and which others you would like to have.
Our cards were inspired by the work of Lisette Sutherland and her Collaboration Suppercards.