When Covid-19 took over the world, this borderless viral disease wiped out my speaking schedule.
Groups of tourists, who were meant to come to Israel, weren’t coming anymore. For the foreseeable future, I wasn’t going to meet communities in the UK or North America.
So, I turned to Zoom.
Actually, it makes sense for my talks to be given using an online platform. I do, after all, tell innovation stories. And many of these stories show the impact innovation has on our lives.
With seven years of broadcast media experience in my professional career, I knew that giving talks online via video platforms was not going to be the same as face-to-face lectures.
Of course, it shouldn’t be the same.
I created a new talk on Covid-19-inspired innovations. And I built it to be interactive.
There are too many webinars and online lectures that don’t differentiate between virtual and face-to-face. My kids score their teachers, who are Zoomed into our home every day.
When you take into consideration the change in eye contact and how online body language plays a role in conveying a message, it is possible (and even easy) to keep interest and engagement.
Online talks do not have to be boring. Or monotonous. Or draining.
I try to make use of the technologies available.
For me, keeping a rapport with my audience is of the utmost importance.
Q&A sessions are great for participation. On Zoom, not everyone likes to have the camera focus on them. So, I use chat, and the help of another co-host, to keep Q&A a relevant part of my talks without putting the audience in an uncomfortable zone.
When the audience is tech-savvy enough, I love adding Menti.com to my presentations. Building word clouds or word bubbles together adds even more fun and engagement.
So far, the talks I’ve given have received great feedback. Every day, I hope new communities will embrace the online platforms as a viable option for hosting talks in their communities.
And while I do miss speaking in front of an audience, I have come to love giving Zoom talks, too.
When the pandemic becomes routine and the world embraces a new normal, and the skies open again, I hope to balance online and face-to-face speaking engagements.
Live audiences and online audiences each offer a creative opportunity in their own way.