In Person or Zoom? A Playbook for How to Decide

Remember in the old days, aka two years ago, when your work life revolved around in-person interactions? Well, when the pandemic is finally behind us, those days won’t return.

If a positive has come from this period, it is that we now have a workplace shakeup. We have restarted the clock and have a lot more choices as to how we spend our time.

Although we have spent most of the last 18 months on Zoom, there are so many things that we miss out on by never meeting in person. When we are in the same room we are better able to read body language, connect on difficult topics, have more in-depth conversations, find common ground and share an experience, even if it is just a cup of coffee. Going forward, the new normal doesn’t mean that in-person meetings are dead; we don’t want to abandon the benefits of face-to-face interaction entirely. ?But our perception of their necessity has permanently been altered, and you now have the freedom to be more selective with your time and opt for in-person meetings more sparingly.

Assuming that your own health risks or local government mandates don’t make in-person meetings impossible for you, here is your cheat sheet for whether a meeting should take place in person:

1.????DEFINITELY (Always in-person)

This is for the times you want to make a lasting and meaningful connection in a way that online or phone meetings can’t create, or if you are in the middle of an important negotiation. Examples:

-??????A new contact that you have been dying to meet

-??????A job interview

-??????A first meeting with a big client

-??????A relationship that needs strengthening

2.????MAYBE

Don’t be so selective that you eliminate all serendipity. An analogy: If you read the newspaper online, you are deliberate about every article you choose to peruse. Yet if you pick up a hard copy of the paper, you will inadvertently end up reading about something interesting that caught your eye. Similarly, you don’t want to shut down the opportunity to have some unexpected yet meaningful chance interactions. In order to guide your calculus, adopt a quota system based on your available time – approximately one-quarter to one-eighth of your meetings should be in person. Examples:

-??????An old colleague

-??????A first-time networking meeting

-??????A follow up networking meeting

-??????A follow up client meeting

3.????NO (Online only)

When you have already solidified a long-standing relationship or are seeing someone out of obligation, stick to online meetings. Examples:

-??????People who are asking you for favors

-??????A colleague you just saw a few weeks ago

-??????The client you have had for years

-??????A check-in conversation with your colleague/client/investor

These are loose parameters but they should get you thinking more intentionally about where and with whom you spend your precious work hours each week. With a guided approach built on a strategic foundation, your decisions as to how to allocate your physical presence will become effortless.?

If this was forwarded to you — or you'd like to forward it to friends — subscribe here.

And follow me here: LinkedIn | Instagram?|?Twitter | Facebook?|?