Do This 1 Thing to Connect Better with People on Zoom

After all of these months of forced virtual meetings and frustrations along the way, there’s something you can still do to dramatically improve your relationships with each individual or team member you work with. Hear, be heard, understand and build more trust.

What is it?

It sounds so simple and obvious, but it will likely take some special concentration to stick to it, maintain your focus, and not allow yourself to backslide into old, familiar, and tempting habits.

Here it is:

When you click into Zoom, Facetime, or other online meeting tool, drop everything else and give your full attention to the person (or people) you are in conversation with! This means:

· Full eye contact…for the whole meeting!

· Active listening

· Avoiding your phone and written material not relevant for the meeting

· No multi-tasking! Do not check emails or read other materials

This sounds radical

But I can promise from personal experience that you will be able to save time if you maintain eye contact and fully listen. You are helping others express themselves more fully (instead of thinking they’re boring you). So, leading a shorter meeting with your full attention can allow far more to be exchanged than from a longer distracted meeting.

Get ready to be ready

Before you start the meeting, get into the proper mindset for giving your full attention to others. Have paper handy for notes of things you wish to discuss and to jot down their questions, requests, and your commitments.

Eye contact online

Look directly at the person you are talking to. If there are many, rotate your gaze on each person you are addressing. People can tell if you are distracted, looking at your phones or email, etc. Ask yourself, can’t you tell when someone you’re online with isn’t fully engaged with you? And don’t you sometimes feel like quickly finishing your sentence so as not to bore them?

Do it

Try it immediately. Today. Note when you are tempted to multitask. Assess yourself after the first time and make plans to improve in the second. Start a conscious self-improvement plan and before you know it, you will deepen the level of all your online conversations and build greater understanding and appreciation with each person in your meetings!

Read Best Seller The Feedback Imperative for more tips and strategies for leading remotely.