Each week, I’m on the computer more than I was a week prior. Gatherings, meetings and casual connections have moved to FaceTime, Zoom, Skype or similar virtual formats. There are a few observations I’ve had that I hope will be the seed of changes we will keep. What are the
- Generally, when participating in an online meeting, people have learned to interrupt less. Why? The sound gets muddled and no one understands anything. So, there have been courteous, s pauses and “go ahead” and “sorry to interrupt”. When was the last time that happened in face-to-face gatherings?
- Meeting must have a host, and it appears that they’re doing a better job prepping for meetings. Getting information sent in advance, creating slides and sharing them or sending the follow-up information because a whole crowd is keeping the host accountable.
- I’m keyed in to strong facilitators and hosts and assessing why I am attracted to their style. It’s often patience to let an idea play through or it could be soliciting comments from those participating less. They ask more questions and wait for comments. They provide and introduction for the meeting – and maybe even goals – and have a recap at the end for accountability, but more often to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Things are getting personal
I like seeing your home and what books you read. Sure some folks have beautiful office spaces, yet others may have an office/bedroom, dining room table or kitchen counter. I like seeing your pictures and decor. I like your kids interrupting or being loud in the background. I like that you’re like me. I like that you’re human and not just my boss, not just the news anchor, not just a VIP guest on TV, but someone opening their home to me. I like concerts from famous musicians in their home or basement. I like that people are dressing casually and vanity may be lower on the priority list these days. Yes, it’s nice to have a well-designed workspace with a camera-ready background, but many of us were just thrown into this. We’re having to learn new software, preparing in new and different ways while juggling more than we ever imagined. We go to work so that we don’t have to be full-time parents and teachers. We’ve carefully orchestrated a life at work which may be totally different than the life at home and now the boundaries are blurring. But you know, I like getting to know you better. Let the boundaries blur.
#leadreship #fivealive
@Jane_Mudgett
To buy my book – https://amzn.to/2K70zp3