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Zoning Out During Zooms? Here's What to Do

6/30/2020

We’ve all been guilty. Ten minutes after logging in to a Zoom meeting our mind begins to wander. Our attention turns to our in-box, our curious dog, or what time dinner is coming out of the oven. Chalk it up to the Ringelmann Effect. When French architectural engineer Max Ringelmann asked a team of people to pull on a rope, and then asked individuals — separately — to pull on the same rope, he noticed that when people worked as individuals, they put in more effort. The bigger the group, the less responsibility each individual feels. In virtual meetings—especially large ones—the Ringelmann effect is magnified.

So, the success of virtual meetings depends on listener participation. Writing in the Harvard Business Review, Sarah Gershman, professor at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University and president of Green Room Speakers, offers tips for staying focused:

Define your value ahead of time: Identify beforehand what you will contribute and/or learn from the call. For contributions, have your points, reasons, and examples ready.
Acknowledge previous speakers: Before raising a topic, reiterate what you just heard—even asking the speaker whether you’ve characterized their point correctly. People are more likely to listen to you if they first feel heard.
Connect the dots: Reflect on what you've heard to move the conversation forward. For example, “I’ve heard several people say the client seems impatient. I wonder if anyone has thoughts about why this impatience is occurring now?”
Note distracting thoughts: When your mind wanders, try jotting down the distracting thought on a pad. This allows you to put the thought “somewhere” so that you can return to it after.

How did you handle the situation the last time your attention wandered during a virtual meeting? Any tips to share? To join the conversation, click "comments" above.

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Greetings in a Post-Handshake World

6/16/2020

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“I don't think we should ever shake hands ever again...”
-- Dr. Anthony Fauci

No more handshakes? Stephen Colbert calls it, “bad news for secret societies,” and Jimmy Fallon notes, “[It] will be weird when every job interview starts with an awkward chest bump.” So, what might be appropriate greetings in the hygiene-conscious, post-handshake era?

As per the Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders debate, many are now employing new etiquette in the form of an elbow bump. But there are several alternatives to this gentle arm nudge. Fist bumps have been around for some time, though, they too, involve skin-skin contact. Some have suggested non-contact foot-shakes. Perhaps the most practical and aesthetically pleasing is Asian-influenced “Namaste” hand gesture, which is contact-free and strikes a humble, respectful tone.

For a time, it will surely be hard to battle the deep-rooted instinct to extend a hand. (Tweet it!) German Prime Minister Angela Merkel was left hanging after her interior minister denied her outstretched hand. And the Dutch prime minister announced a no-handshake rule, then turned and shook a health officials’ hand—promptly apologizing. It is fairly certain that salutations will involve a new normal—but what it will be is unclear.

What would be your preference for a handshake replacement? To join the conversation, click "comments" above.

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Transitioning to and from Work Time at Home

6/9/2020

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Among the challenges of working from home is creating boundaries between work time and personal time. To keep the lines from blurring, Elizabeth Grace Saunders, time management coach and author of How To Invest Your Time Like Money, offers these tips:

Have a starting ritual: Mr. Rogers changed his sweater and sang a song. You don't need to do that, but you do need to alert your brain that it’s now work time. As a prelude to start of business, you might, for example, turn certain lights on or off, make a cup of coffee, load or unload the dishwasher, or do some stretches or neck rolls. (Tweet it!)
Make a work plan and follow it: At the same time each day – perhaps first thing in the morning or when you wrap up the day before—lay out a game plan for your work day, including meeting times, projects you want to progress on, and windows for responding to email. Plans may change, but it’s best to have one.
Prioritize your communication: Most of us need to have some personal communication during work hours and some professional communication after hours. But prioritize these communications so they don't encroach and steal time you’ve allocated for each mode. For example, you might answer non-essential personal texts in a block of time each evening.
Set a wrap-up routine: To prepare for being “off the clock”, have a work wrap-up routine that begins about 30 minutes before your workday ends. This could include doing a final check to ensure you’ve replied to all critical emails and looking over your game plan to note what has to be continued the following day.

What strategies do you use to keep yourself more focused and present whether you’re working or enjoying personal time? To join the conversation, click "comments" above.

If you would like to learn more about creating a habit around masterful communication, check out our online learning programs.

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Strengthening Virtual Teams

6/2/2020

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How can you hold teams together when members are physically separated? How can you create virtual teams that are more engaged and more productive than when they worked together?

In our recent Webinar, Communication in a Time of Social Distancing: Strengthening Virtual Teams, we shared 8 research-based strategies:

Start with a meaningful question central to your team’s work: “How can we create more inclusive community engagement?” or “What virtual solutions can we offer our clients?”
Honor the power of silence before sharing ideas: Two minutes of silence before you ask team members to speak allows them to collect their thoughts and brings quieter people into the discussion. (Tweet It!)
Create a queue of names to guide orderly discussion. This eliminates awkward silences and ensures that everyone participates.
Create a virtual group memory: Have an assigned recorder use Zoom White Board or screen share Microsoft Word to list all ideas as they are contributed.
Use P-R-E-S to energize discussions: Aim for 45 seconds to make a Point; give a Reason; share an Example; offer a Summary. Remember: The power of a personal example is immense.
Invite low-frequency contributors into the conversation: When you use our suggestions there will be fewer silent members, but it’s important to let everyone know their voice matters.
Harvest group agreements: Ask, “What have we agreed to already?” rather than squandering time on small areas of disagreement. Remember: What you look for is what you find.
End with a final process check: Each participant gets 20 seconds to say, “This is what I’m feeling and thinking as a result of our meeting.”

What have been your biggest challenges in communicating with your virtual team and how are you managing them? To join the conversation, click "comments" above.

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Zoning Out During Zooms? Here's What to Do

Greetings in a Post-Handshake World

Transitioning to and from Work Time at Home

Strengthening Virtual Teams

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Zoning Out During Zooms? Here's What to Do

Greetings in a Post-Handshake World

Transitioning to and from Work Time at Home

Strengthening Virtual Teams

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