Foster More Social Engagement in Your Virtual Meetings

It’s a problem that all of us have. After almost a year of using Microsoft Teams, Zoom and other virtual meeting platforms, we’ve become pretty adept at using the technology. But we’re still struggling with how to replicate the informal person-to-person connections that are so essential to maintain mutually supportive relationships with our colleagues, our clients and our customers.

In his weekly column in the Wall Street Journal this past Saturday, behavioral economist Dan Ariely shares a simple tip for increasing informal social interaction during our virtual meetings.

“Instead of adding a new item to people’s agendas, try dedicating the first 5 minutes of your regular meetings to a social activity. Since people might freeze if they have to come up with something social on their own, give participants specific instructions: recommend a book or TV show, share a recipe or a favorite quarantine past time. Not only will this lubricate the social wheels, it will also allow team members to learn more about each other.”

You can read the complete column at https://www.wsj.com/articles/give-yourself-better-pep-talks-11613678297?page=1. And thanks, Dan!