At work, there are so many tools for staying connected — calls, emails and instant messages — but they’re not enough. People need to stay connected. Virtual meetings and remote work disconnect us. We need to learn about each other, to build relationships and stay connected.
The human brain is wired to connect with other brains. From the moment we are born, we crave connection with others. We need it for our survival. And yet, a growing body of evidence suggests that many of us are spending more time in a state of isolation than ever before.
This is why I’m always looking for ways to connect with people. I meet people at conferences, through social media, but most importantly I try to connect with the people who work around me.
When we invest time in getting to know one another, we become more effective as a team. This is true both in the workplace and our personal lives.
I have a lot of colleagues who are not in the same room as me, so we don’t have many opportunities to talk face-to-face. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t exchange ideas and opinions every single day! We communicate via Slack channels, emails and phone calls. And every time I get an opportunity to meet one of my colleagues in person — whether it’s for a meeting or just grabbing some coffee — I try to take it!
