With the number of remote teams on the rise, video conferences are becoming a pretty regular occurrence. When you just need to quickly check in with your remote colleagues, a short video chat or group meeting can save time and effort, and offer an easy way to keep everyone in the loop no matter where they are. 

As with any new business practice or technology, awkward moments tend to pop up — and anything involving a bunch of live cameras and microphones only amplifies the possibility for blunders. Use our tips to avoid embarrassing gaffes in your virtual meeting room and keep all your video meetings running smoothly. 

1. You thought your mic was muted. 

This one’s probably the most common video conference blunder. Whether you’re complaining under your breath to a co-worker sitting next to you, slurping your coffee, or your kid/spouse/roommate is singing Miley Cyrus off-key as they fix their breakfast, save yourself some embarrassment and pay attention to your mic settings.  

2. You’re not prepared. 

If you’re supposed to lead the meeting or give a presentation, don’t just wing it. Just because you’re not all in the same room doesn’t mean a video conference isn't a professional setting. You still need a proper agenda with a list of key issues or questions to cover, and you need to lead the meeting with authority, exactly the same as you would if you were all gathered in the conference room. 

3. You’re flustered by technical glitches. 

We’ve all been part of a video or conference call where sound cuts out, a video feed is choppy, or the presenter can’t figure out how to switch views or share his/her screen. The awkward fumbling isn’t only embarrassing, it wastes time and distracts your team. Make sure you understand exactly how your video conferencing app of choice works, and what to do if technical difficulties do pop up so you can immediately switch to Plan B and continue a productive meeting.

Running a good video meeting often means choosing the right tool for your team, with reliable audio/video and the conferencing features you need for productive collaboration. Between live webinars and daily meetings with remote colleagues, we've tried just about every video conferencing tool out there here at Wrike. Check out our 5 favorite video meeting apps to see if one is the perfect fit for you.  

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