How do we make meaningful connections right now?
This is a bit of a break from my “typical” blogging on my professional site, but I felt that there’s a connection in my work outside of Harmonious Resolutions that’s worth sharing here!
I’m currently serving on the Board of Directors of my national service sorority. My role requires strategic planning around lifetime membership which includes expansions efforts, collegiate membership, and alumnae membership. When I signed up to run for this position in mid-2019, it’s safe to say I had no idea what the future would hold for my term (COVID, racial injustice movement). Goes without saying that our chapters functioning in a mostly virtual environment has presented many challenges. I’m sure many of you can relate considering your work life changes since March!
The main concern that members have been expressing is the lack of personal connection that you can more easily develop face to face. It’s also hard to manage organizational involvement virtually when all (or most of) your classes are online so commitment levels have waned a bit. I don’t blame anyone; virtual meeting and work fatigue is very real and I struggle with it myself. I notice that when I’m working alone from home without a lot of personal connection that it definitely impacts by desire to attend any virtual fellowship opportunities. It takes a lot of additional work to forge bonds with people virtually than it does in person and extra effort is hard to find right now!
As I prepared to facilitate a conversation with a set of chapter leaders, I was trying to find a way for them to see that we are all here with the organization for the same reason. We have a shared meaning for doing the work we do. That’s why we are here.
Many organizations and workplaces also have a shared pool of meaning – the reason why each person has chosen that job and to show up each day. So, how do you get back to shared meaning during challenging times? Here are some questions I find to be helpful to ask each person:
- Why are you here? What attracted you to this company/organization?
- What do you really want from your role and experiences?
- What do you want for others who work alongside you?
- How do you want to make an impact in your work?
- What do you want from your relationships with your coworkers?
When people on a team are asked these questions, you start to see common themes in their answers. Then it becomes really clear what the shared pool of meaning is and can energize people to continue to work towards that meaning despite challenges.
How do you create shared meaning on your team(s)?
What questions do you think are important to ask in addition to those above?
I’d love to hear from you!