Kathairo Solutions

The Matrix is a popular movie from 1999 about humanity being unknowingly trapped inside a digital reality. Once he achieves freedom, Keanu Reeves’ character Neo leads an effort to defeat the machines and free others. The pandemic jettisoned most people to depend on virtual meeting platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. And this was a good thing. At that time virtual interactions were the only ones possible for some. Now, however, many working professionals are feeling that technology has placed a chasm between themselves and others. This is especially true as some companies have fully transitioned to remote work and many people now just prefer it.

• Are you feeling trapped by technology?
• Do you feel disconnected from others because of the virtual chasm?
• Have you noticed that relationship quality has diminished because of this?

Simple actions to restore genuine connections are:

1. Set a time to meet in person. If your team is in the same region, set a time to physically meet together. Yes, meeting virtually is easier and more efficient. And I’m guilty of defaulting to this method for those reasons! But, having an in person interaction removes the barriers of a screen.
2. If meeting in person is not viable, set a time strictly for social connection. Sometimes meeting in person is not possible due to geography. In that case, set a time aside intentionally for connecting. No agenda items, no work updates. You can learn more about someone’s upbringing or use some getting to know you questions.

I have seen both of these options work almost instantly at helping team members feel more connected with each other. Broken communication kills trust. Trust is the foundation of all successful teams. Keep building that foundation and be intentional about doing so!