I'm picking up a theme lately as I scope new workshops with clients and also as our Executive Committee plans events for the Professional Women's Group: the design should create an atmosphere that allows participants to relax and reflect on a topic and find new solutions together.
Training almost always takes people out of their normal routines. But now I'm specifically asked how our methods can help people hear their own voices and exchange ideas with others, as if it is new. I begin to wonder if this heightened theme reflects a greater and growing challenge that we cannot or do not take time to interact in-person in such productive ways as part of our normal working lives.
That idea, of course, speaks to corporate culture. 24/7 email. Global travel. Myriads of Netmeetings.
I suspect that what seems new today is, at its basis, the concept of hosting in-person forums at all. In-person has been downplayed in light of today's cost-saving internet-based technologies. I believe recent interest in "hearing ourselves" reflects leaders' recognition that in-person interaction still proves critical to understanding complex topics, especially in challenging emotional times of rapid change.
What's actually new is that we must build these forums more effectively for today's context. For people who do not know each other personally and who rarely meet together. To establish candor quickly among "text or audio only" acquaintances and to get decisions or action plans in a few hours, not a few days.
It can be done. In-person interaction can create the feeling of relaxed informality with others while still giving enough structure to meet the business goal. We can plan in-person events selectively and productively, integrated with tech-based forums and tools to manage costs and time. (My desire to create such events and forums were my reason to start my own business.)
I used to hate wasting time in corporate meetings and feel happy to participate in any revolution that shortens them, makes them more useful, and creates environments to which we can actually enjoy bringing ourselves to contribute.
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