Connection is more important than ever during this time of remote work and rising stress, which is why I’m excited to be working with the team at Terryberry to provide a free webinar focused on building a Connection Culture.
On October 1st from 11:45 am – 1:15 pm ET, I’ll be presenting on Connection Culture to the Wharton Alumni Association Clubs. The event is hosted by the Wharton Alumni DC chapter. It’s free for Wharton Alumni members and $19 for non-members.
This excellent New York Times article, “We’re All Socially Awkward Now,” makes a compelling case that ongoing social isolation due to the physical separation required during the COVID-19 pandemic is diminishing connection skills and having a negative impact on emotional and physical health.
Research on isolation of inmates shows those who coped best understood that social isolation was not good for them. Instead, they intentionally connected with others by writing letters, etc.
How are you safely connecting with others throughout the pandemic?
Today is National Book Lover’s Day. To celebrate, Michelle Tillis Lederman, author of The Connector’s Advantage, recommended Connection Culture as one of her 10 favorite books.
Here’s the list:
Earlier this year, health law attorney Jay McEniry wrote in the American Bar Association’s The Health Lawyer about the need for greater human connection in the practice of law. He cited an article I wrote for SmartBrief. Here’s Mr. McEniry’s article: “Chair’s Column” Addressing Our Loneliness Epidemic.”
When a big storm is forecast to come our way, Katie, my wife, starts to plan ahead, just in case we lose power: non-perishable food in the pantry (check), flashlights with working batteries (check), gas in the car (check), some cash on hand (check). She reminds family members to charge up their phones and laptops. The havoc the storm may, or may not, cause is unknown but she has taken proactive steps to get us through.
Katie Stallard and I were delighted to see the reaction to the virtual training we did to kick off the American Cancer Society’s virtual Leadership Institute Network Series. Here’s what Kristine Revelle, Senior Consultant, Learning, at the American Cancer Society wrote about it:
Practically overnight the vast majority of office workers became remote workers when social distancing measures put in place in March to slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus dramatically changed the way we go about our days. If that was you, over the last several months, you have had a taste of the long-touted benefits of remote work—no commute (a savings of nearly an hour a day for the average American plus the cost of commuting) and flexibility. You may also be wrestling with the challenges of blurred lines between company time and personal time, and how to effectively collaborate with colleagues who are no longer down the hall.
Recently, Katie Stallard and I had the opportunity to speak with Tom Loarie, host of the Mentors Radio Show, about career burnout and the role that connection plays in preventing it. It’s an important topic given the high stress levels that many professionals are experiencing today.
If you or someone you know is struggling with burnout, we hope the interview provides some helpful tips in getting back on a path to engagement and happiness. Listen to the full interview.
How can we protect people in the workplace so they don’t contract Covid-19? The Centers for Disease Control just released guidelines for offices that include temperature and symptom checks; encouraging employees who have Covid-19 symptoms or sick family members to stay home; prohibiting hand-shaking, hugs, and fist bumps; wearing face coverings; physical distancing of work stations (or separation by plastic shields); and eliminating seating in common areas.
Will people follow-through and do their part for the good of the whole? What can be done to increase compliance with these and other requirements so that the risk of virus transmission is minimized?