Power of face-to-face Connection

These days you often hear people sharing about how they miss going to shops/ parlours/ offices not because they are not able to get these services on-line or at home but because these on-line services have cut them off from informal meeting places in their lives. That is making them feel left out, and they need to venture out even during pandemic days only to feel CONNECTED.

We humans need connection and relationships to thrive and flourish. Relationships make us feel belonged. The challenge with mental stress that the world has witnessed in the last two years is a huge reminder of the fact that our whole being changes when we feel excluded.

Interestingly the shrugged off “small talk” has immense power in building relationships. In conferences & workshops ask participants what sections they enjoyed & learned the most from, and the answer is often “tea breaks” & “no agenda sessions”. Dig deeper and the reasons are fairly simple – tea breaks created an opportunity for people to meet informally, chat, and get to know one another at a personal level. Here we begin to discover commonalities, hear diverse perspectives and we empathize/ listen and connect.