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On-Camera vs. Off-Camera: Managerial Double Talk and Culture Confusion
We went to at-scale remote work quickly in March 2020. Estimates vary on where remote work vs. hybrid work vs. WFH vs. all-in-office stands these days, but in general, there’s still a large amount of video calls going on across organizations every day.
Since that day in March 2020 when we sent everyone back to their living rooms (and even before that), there’s been a ton of cultural confusion around whether people need to be on-camera or off-camera during these video calls.
In the simplest terms, the expectation should be both set and modeled by high and middle management. If they say everyone needs to be on-camera, then they need to consistently be on-camera as well. I worked at a place called Neuroleadership Institute in 2021. It was an OK job. I liked most of the people. But managerially, they always set the expectation of “everyone on video.” OK. But so often, the managers themselves weren’t on video.
“I’m just dropping my kids off.”
“I’m mowing the lawn.”
“I’m at the airport.”
Etc, etc.
Now, this paradoxically benefited me at the time, because I was often at bars during mid- to…
