CEBU CITY – “Is there an etiquette manual to follow while on teleconferencing and other forms of virtual forums?”
Yes, there is, said Atty. Ethelbert Ouano, who was the resource person of the recent webinar on Netiquette (acceptable way of communicating on the internet) organized by the Zonta Club of Cebu II as the new normal allows virtual interactions and webinars becoming the way of life amid COVID-19.
IF there is an etiquette manual to follow in various face-to-face situations, like at the dining table, at the office as the boss, in the office as the subordinate, in a board meeting, in church, in an interview, is there a code of behavior to follow while we are glued in one seated position, with eyes focused on the screen?
Ouano’s answer is: To make participants feel they are part of the meeting, thereby, inclusive; that the resource person is approachable, and the presentation is a two-way communication.
Ouano said there are rules and roles on how to keep the participants interested and interactive during the meeting. The Do’s and Dont’s of video conferencing give emphasis on respect and consideration for everyone in the room, even though the participants are only seeing each other’s face framed in small squares.
Ouano is the most reliable resource person to speak about technology, being an engineer, which is an uncommon preparatory course for the study of law. This multi-talented professor at USJ-R spends much of his time as a public servant of Lapulapu City.
The circumstance, that we are in, is doing members of Zonta Club of Cebu II some good. No one wants to be out of the loop, thus the Zontians are getting to be more proficient at maximizing the benefits that the internet provides in connecting sister Zontians with one another.
These energetic executives, ever-eager to learn, are not passing up the opportunity to upgrade one’s capacity to make use of gadgets, for zoom meetings and for continuing education, and more out-of-the-box activities (line dancing??).
