Does Charlotte need a Zoom czar?
Plus: Teen Talk gets salty; Charlotte's top news of the week
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Today’s Ledger is sponsored by Providence Day School. Providence Day School exists to inspire in its students a passion for learning, a commitment to personal integrity, and a sense of social responsibility. Virtual admissions open houses are Oct. 29 and Nov. 8.
We’ve been on Zoom for 7 months. Why are so many people still so bad at it?
By Colleen Brannan
Come on, people. Zoom is no longer new. We’ve had seven months to adjust to online meetings, yet Zoom crimes still appear to be on the rise.
To be fair, before Covid came along, I was a Zoom virgin just like most of us. I never Skyped, and I FaceTimed only once — when my kids were at camp. So I, too, was thrown into the Zoom deep end, and I committed my share of errors early on. I’ve asked questions while muted. I’ve used the camera like a mirror to check my teeth after lunch.
But I quickly evolved, mostly from watching others and noting what not to do.
My first Zoom
Like first loves, we all remember our first Zoom call. Mine was a continuing education class that had been in-person for months but was forced online for the final two dates because of Covid. Needless to say, neither teacher nor students were prepared for online learning — especially in four-and-a-half-hour increments.
To make matters worse, attendance requirements were so strict you could not leave your screen outside of breaks, and you had to have video on at all times. It was here I experienced my first Zoom crimes — from people yelling at kids and ordering lunch thinking they were muted to others in bathrobes or shirtless thinking they were invisible. One guy even mixed a cocktail on screen at 10 a.m.
Zoom as a synonym for ‘meet’
Like Kleenex is to tissue, Zoom is now synonymous for “meet,” instead of the video meeting product that it is. How many times a day do you hear “I’m on a Zoom call” or “Should we set up a Zoom to discuss?” I would not be at all surprised to hear it makes the urban dictionary or becomes the 2020 Word of the Year. Fun fact: “zoom” is a far more valuable Scrabble word with 15 points vs. 6 for “meet.”
First impressions
As a member of the board of directors for several Charlotte nonprofits, I’ve interviewed dozens of candidates via Zoom and have a lot of empathy for them. How can anyone make a good first impression with the Brady Bunch staring back at you?
Job interview or 1970s sitcom? (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)
One woman, with a solid resume and references, suffered from nervous laughter while her male competition tried to best her with a custom background bearing logos of the interviewing organization. I won’t leave you in suspense: Giggles got the gig.
Hold, please
One Charlotte women’s professional organization Zoom participant, “Julie,” put a committee of 10 on hold to take another Zoom call and left us with elevator music. Since we couldn’t make the music stop or get her back on the call, we all had to exit and use someone else’s account.
Evidently, people with Zoom Business accounts can answer Zoom calls while others are in progress. Great argument for sticking with my free personal account.
Surprise guests
On the September Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Charlotte virtual luncheon about the State of Hospitality: Covid edition, the Charlotte Business Journal’s Erik Spanberg — who is not a woman in real estate — joined the call unbeknownst to panelists. Typically, we like to announce when media are present so speakers are aware, but this one got by me, the organizer, even though he was invited and registered.
The result: a really honest and accurate account of Charlotte’s hospitality industry woes that became the the top story in the Business Journal’s afternoon newsletter. The lesson: Know who’s on your call.
Zoom for two?
Not every call needs to be on video, especially those for just two people. Many have become so conditioned to Zoom that they forget about the good old-fashioned phone call — especially the unscheduled, spontaneous kind. In my spare time, I plan to launch a #bringbackthephonecall campaign.
You can do your part by fighting back when people want to Zoom unnecessarily.
’Tis the season for virtual galas
Fourth quarter is always the time of year for nonprofit galas, so Covid is definitely raining on that fundraising parade by driving these events online. By the looks of my calendar, I have six to attend. I’m wondering if there couldn’t be a special ticket price that’s slightly higher and absolves you from sitting at a virtual table with virtual friends? If so, sign me up!
Plus, if I don’t have to buy a new dress, pay to park or fall prey to my personal Kryptonite, silent auctions, I’m likely to open my checkbook wider for the charity.
Zoom czar
Not without solutions for this growing crisis, I propose a Charlotte Zoom Czar (say that three times fast) to provide leadership for the Zoom movement. More of an honorary, bragging rights position, this person’s powers would include policing bad Zoom behavior, settling Zoom etiquette disputes and leading support group discussions about Zoom fatigue (on Zoom of course).
Since nobody has asked me to serve in this capacity (yet), all I can offer at this point are some do’s and don’ts from my own Zoom experience:
DO: Remember call participants see what you see on your screen. This includes the anger management and weight loss books behind you on your bookshelf.
DON’T: Forget about custom backgrounds that aren’t appropriate for all audiences. One accountant friend went from team happy hour, looking like she was in the tropics, to a tax audit.
DO: Be careful of resting bitch face. Alert friends or colleagues through chat if they are wearing theirs, but be careful not to comment to all.
DON’T: Use your child’s computer and screen name for a professional call. While that might fly for virtual happy hours and Boy Scout meetings, it’s confusing and not as adorable as you think.
DO: Be present and know that how you come across on Zoom can affect your personal brand. Same meeting rules apply when it comes to being on time and talking over others. And it sends a bad message when you pop a headshot in place of a live face or opt for audio only.
DON’T: Try to fill dead air or run the call if you’re not the host. You are not anchoring the news.
My friend Nikki Wolfe, who hosts a weekly Panthers podcast called One Day Contract, pointed out that everyone’s IQ seems to drop 10 points when they Zoom. Definitely something for the Zoom Czar to explore.
Colleen Brannan, one of The Ledger’s inaugural 40 Over 40 winners, owns BRANSTORM PR and uses her Gamecock journalism degree to write stories like this for fun. She welcomes more followers on Instagram (Colleen_Brannan), Twitter (@colleenbrannan) and LinkedIn but vows never to join Facebook. Send fan mail to colleen@branstorm.com.
Today’s supporting sponsors are Soni Brendle…
… and Count on Me CLT. To help save lives, jobs and businesses, please wear a mask, wait 6 feet apart and wash your hands often. Visit CountOnMeCLT.com for more information.
Teen talk: Build your vocabulary
Impress and delight the young people in your life by using the words they use. The Ledger shows you how in this occasional Saturday feature.
Today’s word: Salty (adj.)
Pronunciation: Salt-ee
Definition: Adjective used to describe being mildly annoyed, upset, bitter.
Used in a sentence:
“James got salty after I hit him into the lava in Minecraft.”
“I was so salty when my mom made me get out of bed early to do chores.”
“She looked really salty when the teacher called her out for not doing her homework.”
Ledger analysis: Older generations use “salty” as a synonym for “crude,” or “crass,” but for the younger generation, it’s a word that means angry or annoyed.
— Andrew Bolling, age 13
This week in Charlotte: Two big hospital systems merge, Ballantyne unveils plans for new park, Mecklenburg hits favorable Covid milestone
On Saturdays, The Ledger sifts through the local news of the week and links to the top articles — even if they appeared somewhere else. We’ll help you get caught up. That’s what Saturdays are for.
Politics
Cunningham under investigation: (Observer) Democratic Senate candidate Cal Cunningham continues to face fallout from the revelation that he had an extramarital affair with a California-based PR strategist, including news that the U.S. Army Reserve command is investigating the matter. Cunningham is a Lt. Col. in the U.S. Army Reserve, and he could face punishment for an extramarital affair under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Cunningham said he does not intend to drop out.
Masks in question during city council’s bar run: (QC Nerve, Charlotte Five) Mayor Vi Lyles, four city council members and city staff visited Hattie’s Tap & Tavern in Plaza-Midwood on Monday evening after a strategy session, and the bar owner said the group didn’t follow Covid mask rules, made disrespectful comments and had to be reminded to put masks on.
Education
New name for Vance High School?: (Twitter) WBTV’s Dedrick Russell reports that Vance High School will be renamed Julius Chambers High School at Tuesday’s Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education meeting. Vance is named for a controversial Confederate officer and former governor, and CMS officials said in June that they were looking to rename it. Julius Chambers was renowned civil rights attorney best known in Charlotte for the Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education legal case in which the U.S. Supreme Court authorized busing to achieve integration in public schools.
UNC Chapel Hill releases spring plan: (Observer) UNC Chapel Hill officials say they’ll start the spring semester two weeks later than previously announced and will eliminate spring break. They added several “wellness days” to the calendar instead.
Local news
New park for Ballantyne: (Ledger) Northwood Office released sketches of a fancy new 8-acre “Stream Park” and an amphitheater that will be the recreational centerpiece for the planned Ballantyne Reimagined mixed-use development. Northwood says the the park and amphitheater will “instill a sense of ‘soul’ connecting people with meaningful moments.”
Good Covid news: (Ledger Hot Breaking News) One of the most closely watched Covid numbers in Mecklenburg County hit a new low, the health department said Friday, with the percentage of positive tests falling below 5% for the first time since the county started releasing the figures in April. That number is important, because officials in the past have said any number below 5% indicates a low level of community transmission of Covid. Still, they caution residents to keep obeying the three W’s.
Mecklenburg deaths: (Ledger 🔒)The total number of deaths in Mecklenburg County rose by 13% in the first six months of the year, compared with a year earlier, county health director Gibbie Harris told county commissioners. About half of the increase can be explained by Covid, she said, but the other half might be attributed to residents “not going to the emergency room and having episodes that end in death.” Also up: suicides and STDs.
Business
Atrium merges with Wake Forest Baptist: (Observer) Atrium Health announced Friday that it has officially combined with Wake Forest Baptist Health — a partnership that was announced last year but had to await approval from regulators. The partnership will bring a medical school to Charlotte, and the combined health system will have more than 70,000 employees, 42 hospitals and more than 1,500 care locations.
Panthers unveil boujee HQ: (Ledger 🔒) The Carolina Panthers released renderings of the team’s plans for a Rock Hill headquarters and training facility, and they look pretty fly. The facility, which the team says was “inspired by the quarries of South Carolina and the city of Rock Hill,” won’t just be for Panthers business, but it will “also be a true destination site for the entire region, offering entertainment, dining, retail, athletics and medical care.”
EpiCentre evictions: (WSOC) Five uptown EpiCentre tenants were served eviction notices because of non-payment last week, according to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, continuing the the decline of what was once a nightlife hotspot.
NC’s film industry is making a comeback: (Agenda) North Carolina’s diverse terrain has made it a popular location for film and television production in the past, but the elimination of tax incentives and the controversial N.C. House Bill 2 drove much of the film industry away. Now, it’s coming back. At least seven films and television shows are in production or are soon to be in production here in North Carolina.
Sports
First female football player in N.C.: (Observer) Kicker Sydney McCorkle became the first woman to play football for a North Carolina private high school after a two-year push to change the rules allowed her to join the Providence Day School varsity football team. She made two PATs (points after touchdown) in a win over Charlotte Latin.
McCaffrey’s mansion?: (CBJ) In a mix of sports and real estate news, Panthers’ running back Christian McCaffrey may be the buyer behind a nearly $8M Lake Norman mansion, Charlotte’s most expensive listing.
Election central: voter guides and other info
The Charlotte Observer’s voter guide allows you to type in your address and view your ballot, with links to information about the candidates and races.
Charlotte Agenda’s guide is an easy-to-read tour of the races, with context about why they matter.
WFAE’s handy guide to important dates, registering, requesting absentee ballots and early voting. Polls for early voting open this Thursday (Oct. 15).
If you’re planning to head to one of Mecklenburg County’s 33 early voting polling places starting this Thursday, here’s info from the Observer that may come in handy.
Good reads
Atrium CEO unveils hidden talent: (Observer) Atrium Health CEO Gene Woods has long been a recreational guitarist, but he recently dusted off an old song he wrote with a social justice theme, called “Not Enuff Joy,” and produced a legit music video, with a cameo by Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles. This story by the Observer’s Theoden Janes explains how the video came to be — and what may be ahead for Woods musically.
Tepper buys Fox’s old digs: (Agenda) Charlotte Agenda’s Katie Peralta did some good, old-fashioned shoe-leather reporting and turned up a remarkable real estate deal in Quail Hollow — former Charlotte Panthers head coach John Fox is selling his mansion to current Panthers owner David Tepper. The $5.35M, nearly 15,000 s.f. Spanish-style estate won’t likely be Tepper’s primary residence. He’ll be able to bounce between his other homes in Florida and New Jersey.
Ledger originals
Anemic uptown: (Friday 🔒) Businesses in uptown continue to struggle as most of the 130,000 center city workers continue to log in from home during the pandemic. Here, the Ledger’s Cristina Bolling shows you what it’s like in spots that used to be bustling, talks to business owners and explains how local officials are trying to help.
Raising millions in a pandemic: (Wednesday 🔒) The CEO of the Charlotte cybersecurity startup ThreatSwitch talks about the challenges of raising venture capital during the pandemic — and how Charlotte’s tech scene is faring.
Legal advice (Friday 🔒): It’s a confusing time to be in human resources because laws have changed so much during Covid. We turned to a panel of local employment lawyers to offer advice to companies to navigate some of the potential legal minefields, from new paid time off rules to creating safe work environments.
Greenway hits the brakes: (Wednesday 🔒) A super popular Charlotte greenway is closing temporarily … and then will close again for about two years.
Theaters open, and then …: (Monday) Movie theaters were finally allowed to open when N.C. moved into Phase 3 on Oct. 2, but Regal theaters decided to close its doors nationwide. Other big theater chains say they plan to stay open.
Anatomy of a liquor license suspension (Monday): How a bar in the University City area lost its ABC permits after repeated visits by law enforcement.
September’s rezonings (Tuesday 🔒): The monthly list with details of rezoning petitions filed in Charlotte, before they hit the city’s main website. Where are developers planning the next apartment complexes?
— David Griffith
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Contributing editor: Tim Whitmire, CXN Advisory; Reporting intern: David Griffith