It’s wonderful to be working with teams and leaders in-person. I’ve learned to appreciate the engagement and learning that comes from in-person interaction.
What I like best is that we can use the lessons of virtual to make in-person even better than it was before March 2020. For example, when someone is sick or has a can’t-be-moved schedule conflict with an in-person workshop, I send that person a 35-minute, on-demand version of the workshop content and schedule a virtual 1:1 session to practice. Not something I would have thought to do pre-COVID!
Another benefit is the ability to have Holly Conner join as a second trainer via Zoom. When I spoke to a leadership team about executive presentation skills in Charlotte, North Carolina, in August, each person did a 15-minute, 1:1 session on session with Holly in a breakout room. Only Holly wasn’t in Charlotte, she was on the monitor in the breakout room via Zoom. Holly and I have done more than 20 workshops where I’m in-person with the group and she’s virtual for 1:1 and small group coaching. The feedback from participants is that it’s good preparation for a world of in-person, hybrid and virtual communications.
My challenge to myself and all of us is to keep looking for new ways to blend virtual and in-person to improve learning and maximize results.
