Building Remote Relationships

Written By: Sandi MacCalla ~ 6/13/2022

Cultivating remote relationships can be as natural as in-person meetings where we all automatically kick in gear our six senses reading full body language, tonality and words. I am thinking the shift to remote teams is sharpening up our listening/observation skills and thoughtful questioning.

Virtual Meetings:

• Meeting Hosts – please open the meeting link 10-15 minutes early to minimize tech challenges and greet/visit with early arrivals.)
  
  
• Attendees:
  • Arrive 5-10 minutes early
  • Visit with others that are early
  • Observe Levels of conversation & trust building (each level opens to the next when exchanges hit trust thresholds):
    • Small talk on neutral topics
    • Fact Exchange – build connection sharing your facts.
    • Opinions – reveal your experiences and beliefs.
    • Feelings – as trust builds, friendship deepens allowing vulnerability.
  • Learn something new about another attendee at each meeting.
    • It’s totally fine to keep it to one person … the days of loading up your pocket with business cards are gone. Thank goodness!
  • Notice and comment on one interesting observation of another person at each meeting.
    • Listen for cues on activities of others and be curious about their interests.
    • Share your involvement with the same activity, but reserve full details to let them ask you questions. No need to overshadow their interests with yours.
    • Even light comments can warm up connections: “I think my wife would love those earrings you’re wearing!”
  • Compliment another person’s insightful comments in Chat to the whole group.
  • Notice your internal conversation which may instigate another line of questions/dialogue.
  • After a meeting, be alert to any social media/news that correlates to an earlier conversation. If appropriate, share a relevant item with a quick email note that may go like:
    • “Great to chat with/meet you last week … “
    • “Noticed this article and thinking back to our conversation, thought you may be interested in…”

For more relationship building, University of Washington Medicine has published information that is easy to try with related health benefits: 4 Tips for Making Friends - Right as Rain by UW Medicine

Next, we’ll discuss well-tested ways to boost all ‘front-liners’ serving and helping others. Many of us are “tough customers” when navigating our lives through traffic, foodservice, shopping, medical care, and all other venues. All of our social savviness can be put to the test. We’ll chart some new ways to co-exist while minimizing rough exchanges.

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