Are You Leading the Room, or Just Another Face on the Screen? Master Your Presence in the Digital Boardroom

Trying to project real authority through a laptop can feel a bit strange. I’ve seen fantastic leaders, who normally command a boardroom with ease, suddenly seem smaller behind a webcam.

This is the new challenge of leadership. In our world of hybrid and virtual meetings, you can’t rely on a loud voice or physical stature to hold everyone's attention. Your influence now comes from how you present yourself on screen, the energy you bring, and how well you manage the technology. For anyone in the fast-paced retail and D2C sectors, mastering this can make all the difference.

So, how do you ensure you stand out when you’re just one of many faces in a grid?

Favour Clarity and Brevity

In a virtual meeting, you are competing for attention. We’re all dealing with digital fatigue. Studies confirm that virtual meetings induce greater brain and heart strain than face-to-face settings. So, making long or rambling statements will more likely lose listeners’ attention.

To keep people engaged, think like a storyteller. Frame your points simply:

• Start with a hook: Grab their attention with a question or a key insight.

• Share the core idea: Get straight to the important fact or piece of data.

• Suggest the next step: Propose a clear action or conclusion. Also, get comfortable with pausing. A moment of silence gives people time to absorb what you’ve said and makes your words feel more considered.

Your Body Language Still Speaks Volumes

Even through a screen, your non-verbal cues build trust and show confidence. Recent research shows that simulated eye contact improves evaluations in video calls and interviews, underlining how much the lens matters.

Here are a few practical tips that work well:

• Look at the camera: Try placing your notes just below your webcam. This simple trick helps you approximate eye contact with everyone on the call.

• Show you're engaged: Don't sit perfectly still. Nod to show you're listening, lean in slightly for important points, and use simple hand gestures.

• Keep your background simple: Your background should be clean and free of distractions. The focus should always be on you.

Manage the Energy in the Room

In a virtual setting, showing presence means guiding the conversation rather than dominating it. Since everyone is already working hard to stay focused, your role as a leader is to facilitate and manage the group's energy.

Try these approaches:

• Keep it concise: Make your points in short, purposeful bursts.

• Involve everyone: Invite others to contribute early and frequently. A good meeting is a conversation, not a monologue.

• Use strategic silence: A well-placed pause after an important question encourages thoughtful responses.

Bridge the Gap in Hybrid Meetings

Hybrid meetings, with some people in the office and others remote, present a unique challenge. It’s easy to unintentionally ignore those who aren't physically in the room. New field studies of hybrid teams show remote engagement drops in longer meetings and larger groups, so design for inclusion from the start.

You can counter this with a few simple habits:

• Ask remote attendees first: When seeking input or making a decision, go to your remote team members first to show their contributions are equally valued.

• Share the speaking time: Consciously move the spotlight between people in the physical room and those on screen.

• Use shared tools: A digital whiteboard or collaborative document helps everyone participate equally, turning passive viewers into active contributors.

Your Setup is Part of Your Professional Image

A crackly microphone or poor lighting can undermine your credibility before you even speak. Research confirms that listeners judge speakers with poor audio quality as less credible. Think of your tech setup as part of your professional attire because it directly impacts how your message is received. 

Put this into practice:

• Invest in a decent microphone: Test your setup before important calls. How you sound directly affects your credibility.

• Check your lighting: Ensure your face is clearly visible and well-lit. Avoid sitting with a bright window behind you.

• Frame yourself properly: Position your camera at eye level and ensure your background is simple and uncluttered. You should be the focus.

Manage the Meeting, Not Just the Screen

Equally important is respecting everyone's mental energy. Back-to-back video calls are draining. Microsoft’s human‑factors research demonstrates that short breaks between virtual meetings help the brain reset. As a leader, your presence includes how you structure the meeting itself.

Put this into practice:

• Schedule breaks: Add five-minute buffers between meetings to give everyone a chance to reset.

• Keep agendas focused: If an agenda is too packed for the allotted time, move some items to email or send information beforehand.

A Final Thought

Anyone can share a screen and talk through slides. That’s presenting. 

Leading in a digital world is different. It’s about creating an environment where ideas can land, focus is respected, and decisions are made with clarity. It’s about making every minute on screen count.

Before you lead your next virtual meeting, don't just review your talking points. Instead, decide on the one feeling or action you want to inspire in your team.

Is it confidence? Is it curiosity? Is it a commitment to act? Start there. 

That’s how you move from just being on the call to truly leading it.