Standard Line-Up Two Years In

I was privy to a video call lately (outside of my 'coaching' capacity) where I realised a full range of backdrops was on display.

The five-strong gallery featured the following broadcast settings;

~ coffee shop sky blue wall at an angle
~ virtual background majoring on a pinky-purple neon palette
~ open-plan empty office
~ kitchen nostrilcam with window in middle of cabinets
~ show-home styled living room, angling away to a corner in muted hygge tones with plant game prominent

For quite the chunk of time, a screenshare dominated the screen. Showing details of numerically based reporting.

It struck me that these meeting quintet combined ticked the commonplace visual boxes often offered up.

The participants knew each other of long enough standing so as to be undistracted by backdrops.

Only one was an outright disaster. Being silhouetted to obscurity by daylighting directly behind you, coupled with hunching directly over your webcam, really is to be avoided.

Yet I couldn't help but think how typical this selection displayed the here and now.

If a sixth attendee had appeared via 'hostage video' scenery, you might've shouted full-house.

Given that we were at this time in our 24th month of mass video meeting adoption, I was perplexed how little energy or thought had emerged for how each person presented themselves.

I get that shaping your environment is not always possible. Nor essential.

I've been told personally for instance, that authenticity can shine more from my set-up that is 'back bedroom', with merely a single bookshelf and small white/black boards in-view, rather than the purpose-adapted rig with tech on-show.

Yet each participant here was motionless and gun-barrel straight down the lens.

Even the lone office dweller had not ventured beyond their normal, sole seat among deserted cubicles.

Also missing a serious trick, was the way only standard pages of the central doc was shared. So typical, yet sadly so snoozy.

Preparation always sets you apart.

Imagine enlarging a key section, writing out by hand a core component on paper to hold up at the key moment, even being able to scribble out live something on your prop of daybook or mini-physical whiteboard.

We've clearly still got so far to travel. You might only need one tiny little addition to how you come across and perform on a video call to see your actions achieved soar.

Any idea from whereabouts this could come?