Research has just come out that tracks neural activity between people interacting on Zoom and compares it to activity between people interacting in person. The results are definitely in line with what I, and lots of people I’ve talked to, have experienced in our virtual environment. The lead researcher, Yale neuroscientist Joy Hirsch, said, “Zoom … Read more
Virtual/Hybrid
I had a really interesting conversation recently about how hard it can be to communicate asynchronously, through email, Slack, or text. This person pointed out that in his work environment, he felt like he might be one of the only people who really felt like he needed the nonverbal cues we get from in-person communication. … Read more
If you’re like many people, you’ve got a work set-up on your desk that rivals a space shuttle launch. Laptops, keyboards, trackpads, second and third screens all vie for space and for your attention. Quick tip: if your videoconference opens on a screen other than the one where your camera is, you need to move … Read more
Scene: A video conference screen. This is a meeting of the interdepartmental committee that is planning the long-standing annual industry conference. For the last two years, the conference was held virtually, to declining registration and attendance. Committee Chair: “Let’s have the next conference in person! I think it’s time, and we can’t afford to lose more participation.” Another Committee … Read more
I’ve been writing, thinking, and leading workshops about virtual communication for almost two years. In that time, I have been remarkably hit-or-miss in instituting some of my ideas with my own team. My explanations for this include some that our clients use: our team has worked together for a long time, we’re friends, we have … Read more
I attended a funeral last week. The woman who passed away was a family friend, someone important to me. The funeral was held in the city where I grew up, about two and half hours away. The funeral was held in person as well as streamed on the church’s Facebook page. I had two choices: … Read more
One of my clients was recently asked to put together several events for her organization’s executive team. “We’ll have people in person!” they said. “Oh, and we’ll stream it!” they said. “It’ll be a hybrid. People can attend however they like!” In theory, this seems like a win-win. Anyone who would like to attend in … Read more
