Caribbean Military Law Symposium 2023

Remarks

Commodore Errington Shurland Chief of Staff Barbados Defence Force & Executive Director of the Regional Security System

This symposium provides us with a platform to delve into critical issues such as the ethical implications of emerging technologies in warfare, the protection of human rights in conflict zones, and the legal implications of foreign military interventions. We have the opportunity to engage in thoughtful discussions, share valuable experiences, and foster collaborative efforts that will enhance the effectiveness of military legal systems worldwide.

Furthermore, this symposium serves as a reminder of the importance of international cooperation and the exchange of best practices in military law. Whether in times of peace or conflict, it is through dialogue and shared knowledge that we can build stronger legal frameworks to ensure the rule of law prevails, even in the most challenging circumstances.

Greetings all! It is indeed my utmost pleasure to pen these remarks for this inaugural and timely military law symposium. This symposium provides us with a unique opportunity to exchange ideas, insights, and experiences, all with the goal of advancing our understanding and application of this vital field.

Throughout history, military law has played an indispensable role in maintaining discipline, order, and justice within our armed forces. It has provided a legal framework that ensures the rights, duties, and obligations of military personnel are safeguarded, while also addressing the unique challenges faced in times of conflict and crisis.

Today, we find ourselves in a rapidly evolving world, where new technologies, geopolitical dynamics, and global threats constantly shape the landscape of military operations. In response, our understanding of military law must adapt and grow to effectively address these emerging challenges. As legal professionals, scholars, and security practitioners, it is incumbent upon us to stay ahead of the curve and develop innovative approaches and strategies that keep pace with the evolving nature of warfare.

The theme for this year’s Caribbean Defence Forces Military Law Symposium is “The Caribbean Defence Acts 50 plus years on! Examining Caribbean Military Law and the need for reform.” It is perhaps timely that the Barbados Defence Force is looking to reform the Defence Act Cap 159 some 44 years after its proclamation as it coincides with constitutional reform on the island.

I encourage all participants to actively engage in the conversations, debates, and networking opportunities provided during this symposium. Let us seize this occasion to foster international partnerships, deepen our understanding of military law, and collectively strive for a more just and secure world.

Thank you once again for your presence, and I wish you all fruitful and enlightening discussions throughout this symposium.

Caribbean Military Law Symposium Agenda

Day One (1) Day Two (2)

CONTENTS

Presenters’ Biographies

Captain Neville Corbin

Lieutenant Jamar Bourne

Lieutenant Mikael Griffith

Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Forde

Ms Francisca Pretorius

Moderator: Colonel Glyne Grannum

Presentation Synopses

List of Participants, Countries and Organizations

Zoom Link and Detalis

Zoom: General Guidelines and Etiquette

Caribbean Military Law Symposium AGENDA

DAY 01

THURSDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2023

0800 hours – 0820 hours

Opening Address

Military Adivisor to the Chief of Staff

Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Lovelll

0820 hours – 0830 hours

Symposium Overview

Colonel Glyne Grannum

0830 hours – 0900 hours

Presentation: Commonwealth Secretariat: Military Justice Reform

Ms Francisca Pretorious

0900 hours – 0920 hours

Presentation: Reforming the 1955 Caribbean Defence Acts

Captain Neville Corbin

0920 hours – 1100 hours

Open Discussions

Panel and participants

1115 hours – 1135 hours

Presentation: The Constitution and the “Rights Of A Soldier”

Lieutenant Jamar Bourne

1135 hours – 1230 hours

Open Discussions

Panel and participants

1335 hours – 1355 hours

Presentation: Modernisation of the Caribbean Defence Forces’

Military Justice Systems

Lieutenant Mikael Griffith

1355 hours – 1500 hours

Open Discussions

Panel and participants

FRIDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2023

0830 hours – 0850 hours

Presentation:Use of Force and Power During Military Assistance to the Civil Power

Captain Neville Corbin

0850 hours – 0950 hours

Open Discussions

Panel and participants

1005 hours – 1025 hours

Presentation: Interoperability during CARICOM and Regional Security System Deployments

Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Forde

1025 hours – 1125 hours

Open Discussions

Panel and participants

1130 hours – 1145 hours

Symposium Summary

Moderator: Colonel Glyne Grannum

1145 hours – 1215 hours

Closing Remarks

Military Adivisor to the Chief of Staff

Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Lovelll

1215 hours – 1220 hours

Vote of Thanks

Second Lieutenant Kashara Forde

END OF DAY TWO

Captain Neville Corbin, LL.B. presenter

The 1955 Caribbean Defence Acts

The Use of force during Military Assistance to the Civil Power Operations

Captain Neville Rennay Corbin is the consummate legal and integrity professional in Barbados and the Caribbean. He attained a BSc in Sociology with Political Science and LLB in Law both at upper second-class honours from the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus. After graduating with an LLB, he attended the Hugh Wooding Law School where he obtained a Legal Education Certificate. He was then called to the Bar in Barbados on 17 October 2014.

While a member of the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) for seventeen (17) years, Neville was trained in the areas of close protection, intelligence gathering, cyber forensics and polygraph examinations. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on the 1 of January 2010. He was the principal close protection officer for Cricket Australia during the 2007 Cricket World Cup and for United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon during his visit to Barbados in 2015. He spent most of his career in the Special Branch of the RBPF, until his transition in 2016.

He was granted a Queen’s Commission on 14 March 2016 at the rank of Lieutenant. He was the Special Assignment Officer Legal and Polygraph in the Headquarters of the Barbados Defence Force and now serves as the Staff Officer for Legal and Integrity Services (BDF).

Captain Corbin has been deployed on various occasions to Antigua and Barbuda to be part of a CARICOM Investigations Team, to Trinidad to conduct polygraph examinations for CARICOM IMPACS, to Dominica with the Barbados Regiment for the Commonwealth of Dominica’s general elections, to Antigua to assist the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force with polygraph examinations, to St. Lucia to assist the Royal St Lucia Police Force and to Antigua to assist the SEACOP programme.

Captain Corbin has also had the honour and privilege to have been appointed the prosecutor for four (4) courts-martial convened by the Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force.

On 23 July 2021, Captain Corbin was appointed by the President of Barbados to Resident Panel to enquire into misconduct of a serious nature allegedly committed by public officers.

Captain Corbin successfully completed the 13-week Junior Command and Staff (JCSC) with the Guyana Defence Force on 19 December 2022 and was adjudged the runner-up student for his exceptional performance on the course.

Lieutenant Jamar Bourne, LL.M. presenter

The Constitution and the Rights of a Soldier

Lieutenant Jamar Bourne first joined the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) as a recruit in August 2005. As an enlisted soldier, he was a Combat Medic with the then Special Operations Group. In 2014, he successfully completed a BSc. in Labour and Employment Relations with honours. In 2016 Lieutenant Bourne successfully completed his Bachelor of Laws at with honours. After graduating in 2016, he attended the Hugh Wooding Law School.

In 2017, he was awarded the Israel Khan Certificate for outstanding performance in Criminal Law Practice and Procedure certificate at the Hugh Wooding Law School. He successfully completed a legal education certificate in 2018. In 2021, he completed his Master of Laws in Public Law at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus.

Lieutenant Bourne was called to the Bar in Barbados in October 2018. He is also called to the Bar in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. He was granted a Queen’s Commission as a Reserve Officer on 1 April 2019 at the rank of Lieutenant. He is currently attached to the Force Headquarters of the Barbados Defence as a legal Officer. In private practice, he practises labour Law, Public Law, Labour Law, Civil Law, Conveyancing, Family Law and Estate Law.

Lieutenant Bourne had the honour and privilege of prosecuting the court-martial convened by the Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force in 2019. The panel consisted of senior officers from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Barbados.

Finally, Lieutenant Bourne’s military training consists of the gruelling Barbados Commando Course, Combat Medical Course and the Special Service Commissioning Course.

Lieutenant Mikael Griffith is a young enterprising soldier who in his short career has proven himself to be conscientious, affable and multifaceted in his pursuit of excellence within the Barbados Defence Force. Through his long standing tenure in the Barbados Cadet Corps, Lieutenant Griffith grew to adore the military and this paired with his keen interest in military justice led him to enlist in the Barbados Defence Force in May 2022. He has since completed the Special Service Commissioned Officers Training Course at the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Military Academy.

Lieutenant Griffith is a qualified legal practitioner having successfully read for his Bachelor of Laws at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus after which he enrolled at the Hugh Wooding Law School and was successful in achieving his Legal Education Certificate.

Lieutenant Griffith was called to the Bar and admitted to practice law in Barbados in November 2020 and has been a practicing Attorney-at-Law since then. To date, he is posted to the Legal Department of Headquarters Barbados Defence Force where he has special responsibilities for the coordination, direction, assistance and advice in matters of military justice as well as the provision of legal services to the members of the BDF.

Lieutenant Griffith aspires to constructively contribute to the phenomenon of Military Law, by way of its structure, development and advancement. He aims to be instrumental in bridging the gap of knowledge, comprehension and the utility of Military Law by its collateral users.

His interests include leadership development, legal framework designs and strategy, and mentorship.

Lieutenant Mikael Griffith, LL.B. presenter

The Modernisation of Caribbean Defence Forces’ Military Justice System

Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Forde is a Barbadian born career military officer who served with the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) for 25 years. He joined the BDF in 1985 and later received his initial Officer training at the British Commando Training Centre Royal Marines at Lympstone in the United Kingdom in 1988.

During his time in the military, some of the professional courses attended by Lt. Col. Forde included commando courses in Barbados, UK and Martinique, Captain Career courses at Fort Benning and Fort Huachuca in USA, Close Protection Course in UK, Crisis Negotiation Course and Peacekeeping Management in Canada and Command and General Staff training in the People’s Republic of China.

The major appointments held by Lt. Col. Forde were: Force Training Officer, Company Commander of Commando Squadron, Staff Officer Operations and Training, Staff Officer Intelligence, Aide de Camp to Governor General – Her Excellency the Late Dame Nita Barrow, Detachment Commander in Haiti, Second in Command and Acting Commander of The Barbados Regiment.

Lt. Col. Forde was awarded the United Nations Medal for Service in Haiti and the Medal of Honour for Meritorious Service to the Barbados Defence Force. He received letters of commendations from Prime Ministers of St. Vincent and Trinidad and Tobago for his service during operations in their countries.

On retiring from the regular element of the BDF in 2010, Lt. Col. Forde joined the private sector as a security consultant. He joined the Regional Security System Headquarters in February 2013, as the Regional Intelligence Officer. His focus is on building capacity of the intelligence units within the Regional Security System. He is currently the acting Director of Operations and Plans where he is principally responsible for the mobilisation of service personnel in the event of a national emergency. He is also a trained polygraph examiner.

He is a member of the American Society of Industrial Security and a member of the American Polygraph Association. He recently sat as a Council member for the Barbados Legion. He is married and has one son and two daughters and two granddaughters. His hobbies are reading, watching documentaries and will be taking back up photography and scuba diving for relaxation.

Lieutenant Colonel Jefrrey Forde presenter

The Interoperability during CARICOM and the Regional Security System Deployments

Francisca Pretorius is a lawyer, policy adviser, and lecturer with a strong commitment to justice reform. She is currently a consultant to and was the previous Adviser and Head of the Office of Civil and Criminal Justice Reform at the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The Office’s mission is to transform the operation of justice systems and the delivery of justice across the Commonwealth by creating impactful and user-centered legal knowledge products, networks, and platforms, to ensure equal access to justice for all. Other experience includes working as Senior Associate at corporate law firms in both South Africa and the United States, appearances in the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court of South Africa, teaching at Harvard University in the USA, Strathmore University in Kenya, and Universities of Pretoria and Stellenbosch in South Africa, and working with governors and legislators in the United States on clean energy policy.

She holds an LLB, an LLM in International Trade Law and an MBA.

Ms Francisca Pretorius Commonwealth Secretariat presenter Military Justice Reform

Colonel Grannum was a career soldier with a proven track record of servant leadership. He enlisted in the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) on 18 October 1985 and retired from military service on 31 August 2021, the last 4 and-a-half years spent as the Chief of Defence Staff. He currently works as the Director of Emergency Logistics and Policy in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Among a vast array of professional qualifications and experiences, he holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Surrey, a Master of Defence Studies degree from the Royal Military College of Canada, an Associate Degree in Public Service Management and Administration from the Barbados Community College. He was also a member of the faculty at the Caribbean Junior Command and Staff College and of the William J Perry Centre for Hemispheric Defence Studies.

During his military service he held several command and staff appointments including as the Director of Operations and Plans in the Headquarters of the Regional Security System. He has considerable operational experience in stability and peacekeeping missions, counternarcotics tasks and in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in joint, interagency and regional alliance settings. He was the principal architect of the Operations Plan for the Security of Cricket World Cup 2007 Events in Barbados.

He has received many awards and commendations including the Chief of Defence Staff’s Commendation, the Defence Board Commendation, Meritorious Service Medal, Services Medal of Honour, Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, Governor-General’s Medal of Honour, the Conference of American Armies Fellowship Medal and Barbados’ Gold Award of Achievement (Barbados’ third highest national award, in recognition of his extraordinary service to the country and leadership of the BDF, for his diligence, sacrifice, dedication to service and commitment to excellence in making an outstanding contribution in the campaign against Covid-19).

His ongoing research interests include organisational design and strategy, complexity science, operations management, leadership development and international defence and security matters.

Colonel Glyne Grannum,GA, MSM, MBA, MDS, pcsc Moderator

Presentations Synopses

Presentation: Commonwealth Secretariat: Military Justice Reform

Ms Francisca Pretorious

The majority of Commonwealth member countries’ legal systems are founded on English common law. In the few instances where this is not the case, the common law system is applied in conjunction or interlocked with other legal systems such as civil law and/or customary law. Military law, the body of rules and regulations which govern the maintenance of justice, order, and discipline of a country’s armed forces, is similarly rooted in common law in most of our Commonwealth member countries.

Countries primarily rely upon courts of general jurisdiction to ensure an orderly society by punishing conduct that is proscribed by the criminal law. The military is an exception to this rule; it may police the behaviour of its members with special courts and a separate body of rules. Reasons for maintaining a system of military justice separate and distinct from a civilian system include: to maintain discipline (an essential element of command), to support operational effectiveness and morale, to reflect the unique nature of armed forces where soldiers are required to use lethal force to defend their countries, and to extend the laws of the country to personnel serving overseas and outside the jurisdiction of civilian courts.

Military courts, like all other courts, play a key role in protecting public order and welfare. Thus, despite the military having a separate body of rules, military justice systems should be an integral part of the general judicial system, and that system must ensure the proper administration of justice.

The general principles for the ‘proper administration of justice’ have evolved in the last century, particularly due to legal developments in the field of human rights law. These principles are contained in conventions and instruments, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

In the last decade, some Commonwealth member countries have reformed their military justice systems to ensure that they reflect contemporary legal standards and principles.

Currently, there is no comprehensive or cohesive regional or global effort to reform military justice systems. Despite the current lack of such an effort, the need for reform is increasingly recognised, and regions that are harmonized in other respects may look at regional models in military justice. The Secretariat is well-placed to coordinate such regional efforts.

At their meeting in November 2022, Commonwealth Law Ministers charted the agenda for the Secretariat’s military justice reform work, and this work is being carried out through the Secretariat’s Office of Civil and Criminal Justice Reform (OCCJR).

OCCJR received a formal request for assistance from two Caribbean member countries to assist its defence forces with the enhancement and strengthening of their defence acts and military justice systems.

At the Symposium, the Commonwealth Secretariat will share the work that it has done to date, including a Pan-Caribbean conference in Nassau in 2022, and the commencement of model legislation, as well as the work that it plans to pursue in the future. The Commonwealth Secretariat will also encourage Caribbean member states to join this military justice reform effort to ensure that the model legislation and all other work benefit the region as whole.

Presentation: Reforming the 1955 Caribbean Defence Acts

Captain Neville Corbin

Defence Acts in the Caribbean are important pieces of legislation drafted primarily for the defence of our nations. The Defence Acts in the region are adapted from the British Army Act 1955. The British Army is a large exploratory military organization while all of our Defence Forces are small in comparison.

All legislation should be living documents changing with the times. The British Army Act is reviewed every 5 years to ensure that the British Army remains relevant and operationally effective. The Defence Acts in the region are primarily the same as obtained in the 1955 Army Act.

In 2023 it is important that we reform our Defence Act to reflect our realities, We are heavily involved in Military Aid to the Civil Power Ops, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief deployments at home and abroad and Military Aid to the Civil Ministry.

Conversely, we all have encountered administrative and disciplinary challenges to our Defence Acts in our respective law courts. We therefore must seek to bring our Defence Acts more in line with modern constitutional and administrative law practices in the Caribbean.

It is also relevant that reform must reflect our military history, culture, norms and organisations’ structures. The presentation will posit the following reforms for our Defence Acts:

a. The Principle of Universality of Service.

b. Specific offences to cover Operations Other than War.

c. Legal clarity in all operational domains, especially during MACP operations.

d. Expansion of statutory rights granted to service persons.

Presentation: The Constitution and the “Rights Of A Soldier”

Lieutenant Jamar Bourne

The constitutional rights of citizens make up the pillars of a democratic society. The state’s failure to respect its citizens’ constitutional rights undermines that democracy and borders on a dictatorship. This presentation explores whether the same rights conferred on civilians are also conferred on soldiers. This presentation aims at critically analysing the soldier rights in the military context.

The presenter will examine the law conferring rights on individuals. More specifically, the provisions of the Constitution of Barbados and Defence Act and case law will be critically analysed. The specific topics that will be covered are: jurisdiction, enshrined rights, arrest and habeas corpus. At the end of the presentation issues pertained to the rights of the soldier should be explored.

The Reforms should serve our Defence Forces in 2023 and Beyond.

Presentation: Modernisation of the Caribbean Defence Forces’ Military Justice Systems Lieutenant

Mikael Griffith

The bedrock of any Military Justice System is the legislative framework upon which said system is founded. It is a well-established point that the Caribbean’s Defence Acts are woefully outdated thus so too, are their respective Military Justice Systems. These systems are challenged with the application of antiquated, UK-centric legislative provisions which do not contemplate the unique intricacies and idiosyncrasies of post-colonial Caribbean military forces. Accordingly, as we embark on this journey of legislative reform it is imperative that we restructure our systems by implementing and employing the necessary mechanisms and measures to ensure the evolution of our Military Justice Systems.

This advancement should ensure a metamorphosis of the Caribbean’s Military Justice systems that sees them develop into comprehensive multifaceted and multidimensional systems that contemporaneously reflect the time and societal matrix within which such systems operate.

The modernisation of our Military Justice Systems will not only require progressive legislative reform but also calls for the adoption of contemporary military law procedures and the upgrade of our tangible and intangible military law infrastructure. Accordingly, the 2023 Caribbean Defence Forces Military Symposium is the perfect launching pad of efforts towards the desired reformation of the Region’s Military Justice Systems as it allows us to collaboratively highlight the shortcomings of our current systems and formulate unified courses of action to remedy the same. It shall serve as the catalyst to the paradigm shift within the Regional practice of military law.

Presentation:Use of Force and Power During Military Assistance to the Civil Power Captain

Neville Corbin

A soldier is trained to kill that is the cold harsh truth but our soldiers are deployed in an operational domain that requires the preservation of life at all cost. Our Defence Acts require us to aid the civil power with maintaining and securing public order and security in our respective jurisdictions.

Illegal firearm and gang violence have plagued our islands, in Barbados the Defence Force was been deployed constantly since 2017. However, the problem that we have encountered in Barbados is that our Use of Force policies are grey and this legal uncertainty impacts the confidence of the average soldier on the ground. The lacuna in the law troubles Headquarters Barbados Defence Force because it has the potential to impact operational effectiveness.

The Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom (1998) doctrine suggests that militaries should be granted special power during operations other than war. This presentation aims to discuss the issue associated with MACP deployments and offer solutions

Presentation: Interoperability during CARICOM and Regional Security System Deployments

Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Forde

Interoperability is the ability of military equipment and groups to operate in conjunction with each other. The Regional Security System (RSS) is perfectly poised to speak to this topic due to its coordinating rule in the Region.

In CARICOM we have Defence Forces and Police Services/Forces at varying levels of development. Each Force or Service have different equipment, policies, laws, and standard that impact their ability to seamlessly achieve regional objectives.

The main requirements for deployment in the CARICOM and the RSS Member states are Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief deployment and security deployments. Both these deployments require large-scale coordination at the regional level.

This presentation will explore some of the legal and operational requirements to ensure that the Forces and Services within the CARICOM and RSS Member states can operate in conjunction with each other to achieve the mission.

Participants

Commodore Errington Shurland, Chief of Staff, Barbados Defence Force and Executive Director of the Regional Security System

Colonel (Retired) Glyne Grannum, Former Chief of Staff, Barbados Defence Force

His Honor Judge Alan Large, Judge Advocate General to His Majesty’s Armed Forces

Francisca Pretorius, Advisor and Consultant: Pan-Commonwealth Military Justice Reform Project, The Commonwealth Secretariat

Honourable Justice Major Sherman Moore, Judge of the Court of Appeal of Barbados

Honourable Justice Major (Retired) Christopher Birch, Judge of the High Court of Barbados

Commander Mark Peterson, Staff Advisor to the Chief of Staff, Barbados Defence Force

Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Lovell, Military Advisor to the Chief of Staff, Barbados Defence Force

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Jeffrey Forde, Director of Operations, Regional Security System

Commander Christopher Griggs, Royal New Zealand Naval Reserve and Commonwealth Military Justice Reform Project, The Commonwealth Secretariat

Major Pedro Drakes, Commanding Officer Barbados Regiment

Lieutenant Commander Derrick Brathwaite, Commanding Officer (Acting), Barbados Coast Guard

Captain Neville Corbin, Principal Staff Officer, Barbados Defence Force Legal Department

Lieutenant Jamar Bourne, Staff Officer, Barbados Defence Force Legal Department

Lieutenant Mikael Griffith, Staff Officer, Barbados Defence Force Legal Department

Second-Lieutenant Kashara Forde, Assistant Staff Officer, Barbados Defence Force Legal Department

Representatives from the Command and Staff elements of the:

Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force

Barbados Defence Force

Guyana Defence Force

Royal Bahamas Defence Force

St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force

Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force

Regional Security System

Chief Parliamentary Counsel’s Office (Barbados)

Zoom Link and Details

The Barbados Defence Force is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: MILITARY LAW Symposium 2023

Time: Sep 14, 2023 08:00 AM La Paz

Every day, until Sep 15, 2023, 2 occurrence(s)

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Sep 15, 2023 08:30 AM

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General Zoom Etiquette /Guidelines

GET THE LIGHTING RIGHT

Of all the presentation considerations for video, lighting is arguably the most important. Where Zoom video meetings are concerned, in general, the more light there is, the better. And since you've made the effort to actually get dressed for the meeting, you want the attendees to be able to see you properly.

Front-facing natural light from a nearby window is ideal. It evenly accentuates and brightens your skin and features, giving you a clear, flattering and presentable image on video. If there's little or no sunlight or your meeting is being held at night, there's no need to splurge on an expensive lighting rig from Amazon. Grab a lamp and position it in front of you and behind your laptop.

Placing the light source behind you will backlight you and make you harder to see, casts unflattering shadows on your face, or even turn you into a spooky silhouette. If you have a window behind you, shut the blinds. Light coming from behind you could also cause a harsh effect on everyone else’s screen, and you don’t want to start a meeting by immediately hurting everyone’s eyes - not a great first impression! Note: If you wear glasses, don't use the brightest setting on your laptop or monitor. The bright monitor can reflect in the glasses and be distracting.

ANGLE AND POSITION YOUR CAMERA CORRECTLY

To give the appearance that you're speaking at eye level to participants rather than as a giant gazing ominously down upon them (and if you don’t want to show off a double chin or the contents of your nostrils), prop your laptop or mobile device up so that is at your eye level.

Use whatever you have to hand - old shoe boxes and piles of books are perfect for bumping up the height of your camera. If you’re using a laptop and still need to be able to type (not easy or ergonomic if your PC is perched up high), investing in a cheap USB keyboard to use temporarily during Zoom meetings is an easy workaround.

As for distance, try to position yourself so the camera is seeing you from the chest or waist up, instead of your face taking up the whole frame. Seeing more of you is more natural for the viewer, more akin to a face-to-face meeting in real life.

PAY ATTENTION TO MUTE

Paying attention to mute when in a Zoom meeting is essential for keeping the meeting running smoothly and saving yourself from embarrassment. If you’re at home, being on mute can prevent barking dogs, background noise, or your children playing from distracting other people in the meeting.

Fortunately, this is an easy tip to follow. Simply pay attention to your mute function while on the call. If you’re not talking, mute yourself on Zoom. When it’s your turn to speak, take an extra second to ensure you are unmuted. Being muted while speaking can come across as unprofessional and slow down the meeting’s progress, so please do not skip this step.

We also recommend familiarizing yourself with other Zoom controls, such as how to use the chat and the record button. Do this before hopping on the call so you will not be stuck with troubleshooting during the meeting.

TEST YOUR DEVICE AUDIO BEFORE THE MEETING FOR A BETTER EXPERIENCE

Before you hop on the Zoom call, test that your microphone and camera are working correctly. Zoom automatically prompts you to allow access to your microphone and camera. It will also offer the ability to test your microphone and view your video preview.

Take a few minutes before the call to ensure that Zoom is picking up your audio and you can see yourself clearly. Double-check that your Internet connection is stable. While everyone knows what it’s like to have a lagging Internet, it can be distracting. So, check that your Internet connection is strong before the call. If it’s not, consider moving to another part of your home or going to a coffee shop with Wi-Fi for a better meeting experience.

We always recommend using video when you can to make the meeting more engaging for everyone. After all, Zoom meetings are meant to simulate an in-person meeting and seeing other people’s reactions and faces is an important part of this.

CHECK YOUR BACKGROUND AND ENVIRONMENT

Consider what your background and environment behind you look like. If possible, set up your Zoom call in a home office with a nice bookshelf or desk behind you. If you don’t have a professional background, a blank wall can be a good choice and makes it appear like you have a home office for other meeting participants.

In addition to choosing the best background available, make sure your background is tidy. A cluttered background looks unprofessional and can be distracting. You’ll also want to ensure that you are well-lit and in a private area, where you won’t be interrupted by kids or pets. To blur your Zoom background or use virtual background is also a good choice when you don't have the time to find a proper background.

DRESS PROPERLY

Always dress appropriately for your Zoom meeting. Showing up in your sweatpants or pajamas looks unprofessional and sloppy.

Consider the formality and nature of the work meeting. When in doubt, dress up more than you think you need. Overdressing will always look better than underdressing. In most cases, you’ll want to dress in “business casual” attire and have a tidy appearance. Take time to shave, brush your hair and teeth, apply makeup if you would wear makeup to the office, and put on neat clothing, a nice watch, or jewelry.

It is not recommended to only dressing professionally on top and wearing sweatpants or leggings. You never know when you may need to get up to grab a file or close the door if your children come in, so don’t risk the embarrassment of your coworkers seeing your sweatpants.

LOOK INTO THE CAMERA WHEN TALKING INSTEAD OF LOOKING ATYOURSELF

If you’re looking at yourself on the screen while you’re talking, it will seem like your attention is elsewhere. Direct eye contact into the camera while speaking gives attendees the impression that you are looking at them rather than off to the side, which creates an environment where everyone feels engaged and present in the conversation.

Be sure to position your web camera and monitor at eye level so you can look into the camera and simulate that eye-to-eye connection with other attendees.

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