Camera Politics in the Virtual Office

As the corporate world went virtual, one element I was not prepared for was the increased pressure to be on camera. There are times when I am mentally and emotionally prepared to be "on" and other times when I just don't want to be bothered.

"Everyone is dressing casually," has been the response when I use the excuse of my appearance for leaving my camera off. "Everyone" is not a Black woman with natural hair in a predominately white male industry under heightened scrutiny for the content of their work and their appearance. 

Make no mistake, as a junior to mid-career professional in a virtual corporate world, camera-time is important and vital to career development and relationship building. However, pre-quarantine, the majority of these video calls would have been telephone calls. In-person meetings were a rarity even when I was in the office 5 days per week. 

Below are a few tips for surviving "camera culture":

1. Set boundaries for camera calls. I choose not to have calls on camera before 10am or after 5pm. Set boundaries that work for you.

Professionalism during Personal Grief

Five. Between February and August of last year, I lost five loved ones. 

These losses took a lot out of me mentally and emotionally. Here is how I managed working through grief:

I did not manage well. I missed deadlines, I was delayed in responding to emails, and I down right ignored emails. 

Steps I took to get back on track:

1. I let my team know that I had experienced these losses and I would continue to do my best under the circumstances. Being too private about personal matters that may affect your performance can be a detriment to your success. I've seen some career advice that says "never let them see you cry" or "never let them see you sweat." If you set unrealistic expectations to your emotional responses to grief, your colleagues will set unrealistic expectations of you. These shared moments of humanity can foster confidence among the team and take some of the pressure off of you. 

2. I forgave myself for the mistakes. Mistakes happen even we are at our best. They are bound to happen when we are at our worst. If you do make mistakes, forgive yourself, then notify the impacted parties and correct them as quickly as possible. 

Career Resolutions for 2021

For many, 2020 has brought a lot of personal and professional challenges. As the new year approaches, consider setting the following career goals along with your personal resolutions. 

5 Resolutions for a better career life in 2021

1. Cut down your response time on emails and returning phone calls. Success in Corporate America is measured by responsiveness and results. Many younger professionals focus on the results, but not the responsiveness. Note, responses don't have to be a full deliverable, just acknowledging the prompting email or call in a timely manner is key.

2. Commit to at least one new "networking moment" per week. A networking moment can be an email or phone call with someone in your network with whom you do not regularly communicate. The goal is to keep your contacts up-to-date and relevant. These moments will lead to other follow-ups and discussions, but those don't count towards the weekly goal. At the end of 2021, you should have reached out to 52 contacts. 

Around the Web: Maintaining Professionalism In The Age of Black Death Is….A Lot

Today's Around the Web is a Medium article by Shenequa Golding that I could barely get through reading without crying, because I have not been able to confront my feelings about the world I have to live and work in. Prior to the COVID shutdowns, I lost two close relatives, and I kept working. The world came to a standstill, death and illness seemed omnipresent, and we were all forced indoors, and I kept working (my work increased). This past week, something finally broke there was no more denying and pushing through all of my feelings. I cried and worked and cried. One of the biggest threats to Black achievement, and even existence, in Corporate America, is the unspoken requirement that Black workers compartmentalize and suppress the challenges of existing while Black in a system designed for racists by racists. 

Shenqua Golding's article captures this feeling:

"We’re biting our tongues, swallowing our rage and fighting back tears to remain professional because expressing that hurt caused by witnessing black death is considered more unprofessional, than black men and women actually being killed."

Read the full article here.