Techniques For Building Rapport Over Video

93% of communication impact comes from nonverbal cues. In our virtual-first world, your nonverbal signals speak volumes about your leadership. After analyzing hundreds of executive interviews, I've identified 8 nonverbal signals that dramatically impact trust in virtual meetings: 1. Open Palms Visible hand gestures with open palms signal honesty and openness.   ✅ According to anthropological research, showing palms has been a universal trust signal across cultures for millennia. 2. Eye Contact Looking directly at the camera when making key points creates connection.   ✅ Most leaders look at faces on screen instead, missing this critical trust signal. 3. Head Nodding Deliberate nodding while listening demonstrates active engagement. ✅ This small gesture signals respect for others' ideas. 4. Upright Posture Sitting tall with shoulders back conveys confidence and attention. ✅ Poor posture subtly communicates disinterest. 5. Authentic Background A personal yet professional environment signals transparency. ✅ Research suggests artificial backgrounds can create psychological distance. 6. Facial Animation Natural expressions that match your content demonstrate genuine engagement. ✅ Flat expressions create disconnect. 7. Frontal Orientation Facing the camera directly communicates full presence and attention. ✅ Angled positioning suggests divided focus. 8. Mirroring Subtly matching others' pace and tone creates unconscious rapport. ✅ This established psychological principle works even through screens. The most successful leaders don't just focus on what they say. They strategically manage how they appear. Which of these trust signals could you strengthen in your next virtual meeting?

Do you dread the awkward silence before a virtual call starts, especially when waiting for multiple participants to join?   I used to.   That stretch of time always felt uncomfortable. I’d find myself checking email or pretending to look busy until the real conversation began… or worse, making small talk about the weather.   Then something shifted.   I started preparing for those quiet moments just like I prepare for the meeting itself.   Now, I use that time to connect—intentionally and authentically.   Before a call, I take a few minutes to look up who I’m meeting with on LinkedIn. I scan their background—where they went to school, where they’ve worked, what they post about, and whether we have any mutual connections. And if I’m short on time, I’ll even ask AI if there’s anything notable happening at their organization.   Preparation is always priority #1, but here’s your backup plan for those times when you're pulled into a call with no time to prep:   Skip the weather talk (which rarely adds value), and instead ask: “Is there anything specific you want to walk away with today?” “Is there anything you think would be helpful to cover—for you or others?” “What’s been keeping you busy lately?” “What’s your focus area right now?” “Anything exciting on the horizon for your team?” “I see you are Director of _____. How is that the same or different from other organizations? And I’ll tailor it even further when I know the industry: Agriculture? I ask, “How’s the growing season shaping up this year?” Technology? I might ask, “What tool or trend is catching your attention lately?” Pharma? Something like, “What pipeline progress are you most excited about?”   It’s amazing what you can learn in just a few minutes. The result? I’ve uncovered insights that completely shifted the direction of a meeting. I’ve built faster rapport. And more often than not, I leave the call feeling like I talked with someone, not just to them. Here’s the tip that sums it up best—something I heard recently from Matt Abrahams on a podcast: “Be interested. Not interesting.” Read that again. It is a GAME CHANGER in every conversation.   Because here’s why it works: It shows presence It turns transactional time into relational time. It makes virtual feel a little more human.   Now, I don’t dread that silence. I look forward to what might come out of it.

🎯 Why Your Virtual Team Might Be Failing—And How One 3-Minute Video Can Fix It Ever led a virtual team where things look good on paper—but something just feels… off? I’ve been there. I was managing a cross-functional virtual team spread across time zones. We had top talent, clear goals, the latest tools—but something was missing. Engagement was low. Collaboration felt clunky. Results slowed. 💡 Then it hit me: We weren’t seeing each other anymore. Yes, we had Zoom. Yes, we had email. But we had stopped doing the one thing that builds trust faster than anything else in remote leadership: 📹 Face-to-face video communication—even if it’s virtual. ⸻ ✅ Here’s one thing you can start doing that will change everything: I began having weekly video meetings and sending 3-minute video check-ins. No agenda. Just eye contact, body language, and real talk. The result? • 36% increase in project velocity in just 30 days • Team engagement scores jumped 22% • Even our quietest team member started contributing ideas during meetings Why? Because seeing people changes everything. You can’t read warmth in a Slack thread. You can’t show empathy in a bullet point. But you can feel connection through a face, a tone, a gesture. ⸻ 📊 Here’s the Science Behind It: Harvard research shows that non-verbal communication makes up over 90% of how we understand one another. Yet most virtual teams rely solely on text and task boards. That’s a disconnect. If you’re a team leader, remote manager, or project lead, you must go beyond just “managing tasks”—you have to influence with presence. ⸻ 🧠 Practical Application You Can Start Today: 1. Send a 3-minute video check-in every Monday—no script needed. 2. Use video for feedback instead of email. It builds rapport. 3. Hold at least one “cameras-on” meeting a week. Make it about connection, not just work. It’s not about being polished. It’s about being present. ⸻ 💬 Who this is for: If you’re a: • Virtual team leader • Remote project manager • Distributed team coach or agile lead • Startup founder managing remote talent …then this applies directly to your day-to-day. ⸻ 🛠️ Tools I Recommend: • Loom (for async videos) • Zoom (for live connections) • Slack clips (for lightweight updates) #VirtualLeadership #RemoteTeamManagement #AsynchronousCommunication