Video conferencing has become an inseparable part of our lives in the last two years. From kindergartens to big corporate businesses, it’s been a lifesaver for everyone that had to work while being at home.
Getting used to video conferencing was definitely a challenge because it was a new environment. In time, we’ve gotten used to it, and maybe in the due process, you realized that you developed your own unique online persona.
Before pandemic era, how employees behave in the office environment was a very well-studied topic and employees were categorized in different personas based on their behaviors. In fact, you can find a variety of articles that list their own version of these personality types.
But, in the online era, we really don’t know if these same models apply or if people wrap themselves up for another persona. For building effective teams with good communication between its members, understanding what your employees’ personas are in the virtual world carries huge importance.
So, what kind of personalities have we developed over the course of the video conferencing era? In this article, we are going to list five virtual personas in online meetings and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses.
By having a good grasp of people’s online personas, you can develop your own strategy on how to approach them and find the right way to motivate them. Your online corporate culture might not be the same as how it was.
1.The Performer
Do you have someone in your team that acts like they’re running their own solo show? Well, they might be the performers of your company.
Performers are the type of people that go beyond the limits of video conferencing. For them, being physically away from their co-workers doesn’t mean they have to be “away” from them. Performers like acting as if they’re right beside you, and you’re having an in-person conversation with them.
If you have a performer in your team, make sure to assign regular tasks to them because they love presenting what they achieved. Since they can also be very motivating towards their teammates with their effective communication skills, you can entrust them with important tasks.
However, if you’re the performer of your group, you can also be wary of your weaknesses. Being present in a conference is definitely a bonus, and it’s very essential that you complete your tasks well; however, you also have to be aware of other people’s existence in meetings as well.
Don’t forget to leave other people room to shine, because people will respect you if you can share the spotlight.
2.Social Butterflies
By nature, social butterflies are similar to performers, but they differ hugely in their approach towards work. Social butterflies are not the type of people that are all about working, no, instead they need a business environment where work and people blend well together.
Social butterflies perceive work as another place to socialize and get to know people. They can keep their motivation high only if they’re mixing well with others in the workplace. They pay attention to spending time with their co-workers by holding coffee sessions, office dinners or “urgent meetings”.
When approached correctly, social butterflies can do wonders for your team. Firstly, always leave some room for them to socialize and satisfy their extravert needs.
Instead of assigning them heavy tasks, you can make them a part of a team that requires organizational and communicative skills. Since they enjoy human interactions, they won’t hold back from organizing video conferences to keep track of their job.
One weakness that social butterflies might suffer is losing control of their time management. Although spending time with other people is definitely necessary for keeping a healthy attitude in life, sometimes you have to make room for your and other people’s alone time.
During video conferences, you don’t have to talk to everyone when not necessary. Instead, it might be good for you to draw a clear line with your social life and workplace when needed.
3.Home Chics
We all saw those people that attend video meetings with fancy clothes as if they’re holding a ball in the after time. They are the home chics.
The most distinctive quality of home chics is that they have a serious demeanor as if they’re in the office during video conferences. They get dressed from top to bottom and pay attention to their attitudes with the utmost respect. They don’t like losing their cool, so you don’t often see them cracking jokes here and there.
What’s good about home chics is that they are here to do business. They are not fans of hanging out during work meetings as they prefer getting the job done as soon as possible. They can be the most effective with serious tasks that require utmost diligence.
However, home chics might benefit from loosening up a little bit from time to time. While it’s good to hold a serious demeanor during work, you also have to let other people warm up to you. It’s crucial that people you’re working with like you because you’re definitely going to need their help at some time.
4. Ghosts
Yes, you guessed it right. Ghosts are the ones that are always keeping their video off. Maybe they are one of the most common types because we all witnessed countless video conference participants with that black screen. But don’t worry, they actually carry a lot of value for your company.
The reason that ghost prefer keeping it low during online meetings is because they are the ones that can draw a clear line between work and home. They enjoy being in their comfort zone if they’re working remotely and they don’t worry too much about establishing communication with their co-workers.
Ghosts can be the most effective type for developing ideas. Since they are relevantly more introverted than other personality types, they are really good at observing and reading the room. During an online meeting, they can see the points that most of the people can miss, and they can come up with some creative solutions.
So, in a video conference, always remember to ask about their opinions as well. Even though they might look like they prefer being left alone, it’s usually not the case.
Ghosts can try being more open in their workplace as well. Keeping your work and home life separate is a nice quality, but it wouldn’t hurt if you connect with people every now and then . Since you have exquisite observational skills, don’t hesitate to use them in your job. You might be the one with the most creative idea and you’ll never know if you don’t participate.
5.Multi-Functionalists
Multi-functionalists are the ones that are always busy with something, even in the middle of a video conference. They might be taking notes, doing research on the internet or completing their other tasks. You’ll always see their eyes moving from one spot to another.
Multi-functionalists are the hard workers of your team. You can always count on them for keeping track of the projects and laying out a systematic structure. They like paying attention to detail and are really good at finding a connection between different tasks.
However, sometimes focusing on more than one task might be exhausting and multi-functionalists can get lost under heavy workload. So, if you’re a multi-functionalist, don’t forget to prioritize the balance in your life. Sometimes it’s better to do one task at a time, so that you can also have time for yourself.
Here are the five dominant personality types that you can encounter during video conferences. Maybe people tend to showcase qualities from each of them from time to time. By understanding their approach towards their job, you can find the correct way to keep them motivated and allow your business to be a diverse environment.
