“Gathering matters because it is through each other that we figure out what we believe.” ~Priya Parker
When I decided to add more community elements to the next iteration of LEAD.Well, I did so both because members were asking for them and also because the pandemic brought to light just how vital connection is for our own well-being and happiness.
Within days of our collective stay-at-home orders, the internet went into hyper overdrive and you couldn’t click a link or scroll a feed without a new opportunity to gather online. We all signed up for (or started hosting) community calls, webinars, Zoom sessions, free online courses, fitness classes, museum tours and more to help us feel like we were still keeping a piece of our regular life alive. Everything we once did in person, we sought to duplicate online.
But by mid-April, the tides had turned and everyone was talking about Zoom fatigue. Our days, which at first felt open and free (if not a little daunting), soon felt full and bloated with back-to-back video sessions. We bemoaned having to do our hair nicely for the THIRD day in a row, we wondered when we’d get a washroom or stretch break, and we ended each day feeling tired and like we couldn’t possibly talk to one other person ever again. Hosts were working hard to provide value and participants were working hard to stay engaged.
Now as we head into June, and with many more uncertain months ahead, we recognize that gathering, connecting and meeting online aren’t going away anytime soon, and may, in fact, be a significant part of our new normal.
And while the pace has slowed down ever-so-slightly (for some of us anyway), we’re still trying to figure out how to connect online in ways that are both productive AND meaningful. Productive in the sense that we walk away from our online sessions clearer and more on track than when we first joined them. And meaningful in the sense that we leave feeling filled up, not depleted and that new connections are formed and old ones deepen.
The million-dollar question of course is: how?
It’s easy to duplicate a former in-person gathering and turn it into an online one instead. It may be easy, but it’s not always effective or meaningful.
What’s harder is filling the gap, as Andrea says so well in this article, between in-person and online. I know it seems obvious given that many of us have been Zooming or Skyping for years as part of our work. But now that it’s our main way, and in-person connection is on the back-burner, we have to re-think how and why we’re doing it in the first place.
I don’t have all the answers, though I offer up a bunch of ideas for both hosts and participants in this week’s podcast episode. And we are experimenting with different community elements inside LEAD.Well (our weekly Power Hours begin with a collective mug raise before we dive in) to see what works best.
I’ll continue to explore it and share what I learn as I do – for you, for my members and for my other communities (I have to host a School Council AGM next month).
In the meantime, I’d love to hear what’s worked for you (and what hasn’t). I’ll curate your tips, suggestions, strategies, wins and learnings with our community so that we can grow and get better together. Just hit reply.
Steph x
p.s. I have a coaching spot opening in June if you’re interested. Hit reply and we can chat – I have a few different ways depending on your needs and budget. :)
🎧 FRESH ON THE PODCAST
Feeling Zoomed out? Wondering how to keep your meeting attendees engaged online? In today’s episode, I offer up some tips and strategies to lead meaningful online meetings. And how to be a great participant for those you attend.
Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Web
💡 FRESH, HAND-PICKED RESOURCES
Curated links from around the web to help you work well, live well and lead well. Plus a few of my favourite things.
Bringing Feminist Practices into Online Work Sessions
CV Harquail has put together a fabulous resource to help your online work sessions be inclusive and useful. You can download her mini-book for free and use to help you make your Zoom sessions more feminist.
Check it out here.
Trending…a new kind of speaker
I love almost anything Andrea has to say, but this piece is a helpful read, particularly for my speakers and facilitators in the room. She talks about the gap and the opportunity that’s coming for speakers as we adapt to our ever-growing virtual world.
Read more here.
Priya Parker on Gathering Apart
Priya Parker, author of a great book, The Art of Gathering, was recently interviewed for the podcast, The Next Big Idea. She offers up some keen insights on how we can gather meaningfully (keyword) regardless of our current circumstances. She also has a new podcast, Together Apart, in collaboration with the New York Times.
Listen in here.
These are a few of my favourite things…
🏵 This Twitter feed whose sole focus is to rate our Zoom rooms. Funny.
🏵 Add barber to my career skills as I’m pretty impressed with my efforts to cut my hubby’s hair. Now, it’s time for mine…😂
🏵 If you want to get lost in a fun and distracting Twitter thread, may I guide you this way…
🎉 LEAD.Well 2.0 IS UNDERWAY:
LEAD.Well 2.0 is in full swing and I’m so pleased with the changes. Every Friday we have a Power Hour session to end our week strong and share a celebration (big or small), and then we spend 45 minutes in deep work time only to re-emerge ready to share our commitment for the week ahead. I know we’re all feeling the Zoom strain, but this hour of connection and quiet, focused work is a bright spot in my week.
If you’d like to join us for these sessions and more, head here to sign up. This month we’re exploring the theme, What’s Now, What’s Next and next month we’ll be Strengthening our Systems (personal and/or professional). We welcome anyone who is woman-identifying – we’ve got a nice mix of professionals, small business owners and community leaders in our group. We’d love to have you!
💥THE WEEK IN A GIF
Raindrops keep falling on my head…it’s been a gloomy week. But it’s making the physical distancing a little easier to take.
💛 SHARING IS CARING
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