Why You Should Make the Most Out of Video Calls with the Boss

Posted By
Adam Grant

In the hustle and bustle of any job, significant one-to-one interactions happen all of the time. Whether it is with coworkers, associates at satellite offices, or clients, these conversations should always be approached genuinely, and taken seriously.

However, the most important one-to-one interactions you have will be with your boss. Since this individual has a number of demanding responsibilities, time with them is often at a premium. As such, when you are given the opportunity to have a solo video call with the boss, you should always make the most of it. 

Why? Let’s break it down:

You Have Their Ear 

When meeting with the boss over a video chat app, you have to take advantage of the fact that you have their ear. No one else is on the call, thus you will be uninterrupted when pushing an idea, asking for advice, or seeking clarity on a project.

Even if your boss is the type who likes to dominate the verbal side of a video conference, don’t be dissuaded. Your voice is valuable too, and you should use this time to make sure you discuss what you feel is important enough to be discussed. After all, you will never know exactly when this type of virtual meeting will be available to you again.

Get a Better Understanding of One Another

Just because this individual hired you, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they remember all you are capable of bringing to the company. Yes, there’s been email correspondence and phone calls, but those can only build so much familiarity between two people.

During a video call, you can show your smarts, creativity, and strategic approaches, all of which are attributes a boss likes to see. Conversely, you can gain a better understanding about how your boss likes to function, as well as what their expectations of you are. 

Once this type of rapport has been established, you will know how to talk to your boss about problems in the workplace, as well as the positive progress being made on certain assignments. 

Show Your Commitment and Dedication

Bosses want you to care about the company and what you are doing as a member of it. When a staff member loses interest in their employer, productivity and quality of work will slide. 

Unlike team meetings, a one-to-one video call with your boss allows you to showcase your commitment and dedication to the company. They will see you getting into great detail about a company wide endeavour, and hear you express a real interest in making said endeavour even more successful than originally planned. 

Letting this type of motivation shine while meeting with the boss is a surefire way for this individual to realize how all-in you truly are. 

Figure Out Where You Stand

While your boss may not use a virtual meeting to heap a ton of praise or critique upon you, their feelings about you can be better understood in this environment.

Speaking with your boss upon an online meeting platform makes reading between the lines much easier than ever before. In addition to the words being spoken to you, the boss’ body language, tone of voice, and level of interest in speaking with you will help crystalize how they feel about your performance. 

A kind, excitable tone, combined with confident body language and outward enthusiasm lets you know this boss is a fan of yours. However, a monotone delivery, little eye contact, and a curt conversation indicates it may be time for you to step up your game. 

Banty offers video meeting services specifically designed for Business and Enterprise companies. Tap here to learn more about our solutions, and to sign up for a 14-day free trial.

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Adam Grant

Adam has been a professional, published writer for more than 20 years. He has experience writing about technology, business, music, news, as well as many topics in-between. When not banging away at the keyboard, Adam spins vinyl, obsesses over sports, and takes his dog on giant walks.