Imagine sitting in a room with a prospect, and they scroll on their phone while you speak. You likely feel frustrated, annoyed, insulted, ignored — maybe even disrespected. Video calls are no different — others notice when you do things that show you're not fully present. If you often behave this way, they'll view you as someone who doesn't value their time, and that judgment extends to your company. A customer, prospect or colleague who concludes their time isn't your priority won't stay one for long.
Here are some of the classic giveaways that you're doing something else – and how to avoid falling into the bad habit in the first place.
One of the most obvious indicators you're distracted is prolonged pauses — or a string of "ahhhhh," "ummmm," fillers — before addressing a question, often followed by a vague or generic response, or repeating something that was already said. The fix is straightforward: track the thread of the conversation actively, not just when it's your turn to speak. Knowing where the discussion is at any given moment means you're ready to contribute when it counts.
Frequently looking away from the camera — particularly turning your head down or to the side — signals that something else has your attention. Maintaining eye contact is a basic sign of listening in-person, and it translates directly to video by looking into the camera. Positioning your meeting window close to your camera is a good way to keep your eyes near the lens naturally.
There are legitimate reasons to look away — a dual-monitor setup, for instance, where slides or spreadsheets live on a separate screen. When that's the case, acknowledge it at the start of the meeting and return to the camera as often as possible to reinforce that you are paying attention.
Flat facial expressions and head movement read as disinterest, and on a video call the camera close-up makes both more pronounced. Slouching or resting your chin in your hand signals boredom. Nodding, smiling and occasional hand gestures signal engagement — and on video, where body language is compressed into a small frame, they carry more weight than most people expect.
Typing loudly on a keyboard (when it's not relevant for note-taking), looking down at your phone or working on unrelated projects during a meeting conveys that something else is more important to you right now. Others will notice — and may take it as a sign of disrespect towards them and their time. If you know you're easily distracted, close out email and other applications and disable any notifications before the call starts.
Repeating a question that someone already asked or restating something the group just covered tells everyone in the meeting you weren't listening to them. This is one of the harder habits to recover from – the best response is to own it, apologize briefly and move on. Better still, don't go there in the first place. Pay attention and build on the conversation rather than resetting it.
What can seem innocuous in the moment — I'll just respond to a few text messages while the other person is talking... it's no big deal if I check the score of today's game real quick... I can review a few emails while we're doing introductions — often has more serious consequences. We hear about the fallout often in our work with companies. A prospect who felt ignored during a video call because the salesperson was clearly multitasking took their business elsewhere. A job candidate who looked away at the wrong time didn't move forward. An executive passed over for a high-profile assignment because they frequently repeated things already said during meetings — same pattern. People don't just notice you're distracted; they draw conclusions about you that negatively impact outcomes.
Most of these habits are easy to course-correct once you know you have them. And the impression you leave when you're visibly present and engaged strengthens connections and creates opportunities.
If you struggle with some of these classic giveaways, we can help. Video presence and communication habits are part of your personal brand, and Point Road Group can help strengthen yours, so it doesn't cost you business. Contact us to discuss how.
