Feeling Seen Through a Screen
Every November in my department, names are drawn with great pomp for a small gift exchange. This event feels a little like the NBA draft, except much more festive and with a bunch of corporate professionals of average height.
** Though who would could be sure really about the height thing? I've not met most of these colleagues in person and have only ever seen most of them on video calls. For all I know, some of them could very well be professional basketball player feet tall. **
Anyways, when the big day for the exchange arrives, we each do our best attempt at a live unboxing video, taking turns unwrapping our baubles on a video call.
Last year, while the person I had sent a gift to carefully opened it on camera, someone on the call said, "That wrapping job is SO Annie!!", as others came off mute to chime in, "That IS so Annie!".
I cannot remember what the wrap job looked like that was evidently it was so me, but I haven't forgotten that moment!
What struck me was that this virtual call full of people I've never even been in the same room with, somehow they knew enough about me -- about my personality or style -- that when they saw a little box that I had wrapped and sent to my colleague far away, it fit with who they knew me to be, and clicked enough that they all noticed.
It struck me that that kind of resonance doesn't just happen by accident. At least it doesn't happen by accident in a virtual world.
That moment of knowing, of being known and seen, only happens by pushing aside what can easily become the transactional nature of virtual teamwork, and making space to prioritize human connection through the screen. In a virtual world it takes intentionality to take the minute or two to connect about something aside from the task at hand.
Connection is built through the little conversations and hellos before getting down to business. And that knowing and being known is not not incidental to the work.
One of my core motivations as a leader is the belief that the way we work together affects what we create together, in all kinds of industries and fields. We work best when we see each other as whole people, and we’re more inclined to want to stay in employment with others who see us as whole people who are more than the work we do. Fostering that connection in virtual workplaces will always be key to the vitality of a unique and healthy work culture.
I love talking with leaders about how to help their organizations build that connectivity and finding ways that work best for their specific contexts. And I would love to talk to you if you’d like someone to think through your unique situation with you!
A Tool For You
Here's my favorite spinner tool that we use for drawing names with added flair. What's fun about this particular spinner is you can write something fun about each person to have pop-up on the screen after their name is selected (see the advanced settings next to each name). I have a wonderful colleague who writes fun facts, or funny attributable quotes for each person, and it just adds that special something that makes a conference call feel extra fun when you need it to. Find it here:
Author: Annie Liao
