In-person To Behind A Screen
Written By: Lisa Holmes
I love conversations and laughing with people. I thrive the most when I am in a face-to-face conversation with someone. The ability to read their expressions, the room, and other aspects of a public conversation are clues that we have mastered Now the game has changed and we are in a virtual realm. How do we master it?
In-person conversations aren’t a luxury we have now. And as a human, mother, and networker, I had to learn how to adapt to the environment, and fast!
So, how did you adapt from being in-person to behind a screen? Here is what I took away from my experiences.
Be Yourself, and Speak up.
The one tip I can give you to make the conversation fresh, real, and memorable, is to be yourself. Just because you are not face-to-face, doesn’t mean that person on the other side of the screen can’t still relate to you.
What I have experienced with the GoToMeetings or Zoom is it is so easy to just set back and not engage. We love to stay in our safe zone. Virtual meetings make it so easy for us to stay in the zone. So, my suggestion is to jump in and state your point, if it goes on deaf ears stated it another way. Always remember you are still an essential part of the conversation.
Let The Conversation Flow, and Know when to stop it.
A facilitator can make or break a meeting. A good facilitator is worth their weight in gold.
Here are some tips to be a great facilitator.
- To know when someone in the zoom is moving the conversation forward by answering specific questions about the subject you are talking about. State back to them what you heard them say. This is key in leading your team to know you are listening to them.
- By keeping the group focused on the tasks at hand. Stop anyone who is going off the subject. By stating that is a great point but we want to stay on topic. This can be hard at times.
- The most important part is capturing all the information the team has come up with.
Don’t Let Distractions Dictate Your Conversation.
This is a big one. In life there are distractions, but let’s think about in-person conversations. If there was a distraction in a meeting or conversation, we would pause, adjust, and keep going. Virtually, this can become a bigger issue and sidetrack the conversation… We know you can’t control every aspect of your life, especially distractions. But you can control how you react when distractions occur.
I hope you are still having great conversations that last and are memorable. I know that during these unprecedented times, we have to adapt to our surroundings and make do with what we are given. My hope is that we all can be in-person soon and enjoy non-virtual conversations and virtual ones.
Lisa Holmes | Meet the spokesperson of Holmes. Since January 2018, Lisa Holmes has been a great addition to the Holmes team. She mainly focuses on meeting existing and potential clients and walking them through their marketing journey. Lisa is also great at connecting and creating lasting impressions with our clients.
Need help with Networking or a speaking event? Contact lisa@thinkholmes.com to start your marketing journey today!