Of course, everything is about context. No one who is attending your virtual meeting on being a software developer, or lawn mower repairman, or a big wave surfer at Nazaré, is likely to expect you to appear in a suit. The point is to give some serious consideration to how people normally dress in your profession.

Learning how to become better communicators and better listeners will help us enter this new age of the experience economy and walk, talk and grow with civility as our foundation.

Being properly dressed and groomed for a meeting is the first step in demonstrating that you not only care about your own credibility, but you are keenly aware of how you could be perceived by others. Above all, you understand that you are, in fact, the face of your institution.

Listen with intent to learn

In A COVID-19 World, Don’t Zoom Away Your Credibility.Your attire and grooming are some of the simplest things you can do to maintain your professional bearing.

This raises an interesting question in what constitutes “appropriate dress” while teleconferencing. While various authors have issued various guidelines over time, the abrupt turn for America at large to resort to teleconferencing has left somewhat of a sartorial lacuna.

In the absence of clear contextual teleconferencing rules, one way to look at this might be to not ask the question of how you should look. Rather, put yourself in place of the person or people that have to look at you during the teleconference, and ask these three questions: 1) Does it demonstrate personal respect for the position you hold? 2) Does it demonstrate respect for your peers? 3) Does it demonstrate respect for the institution of which you are a part?

Don’t let the fact that just because the meetings are now virtual, you no longer need to be concerned with how you look. It is important to send the message that you are just as prepared and take your job just as seriously when meetings are virtual. This could be especially costly to your career if your boss or someone more senior to you suddenly appear as an unexpected attendee.

Civility requires that we listen and interact with intent to learn and respect others opinions.