I’m all about connection. Anyone who’s worked with me knows that. In workshops, in person, on the sports field, I love to connect with people. As we grapple with the ongoing impacts of this pandemic, I want to share a few reminders of how we can continue to connect 1-on-1 in simple and effective ways.

1. Be present – put your device down, on silent and out of your reach. People matter more than tech in this moment.

2. Be mindful – focus on the interaction and the colleague in front of you.

3. Be ‘coach like’ – listen attentively and don't always try to offer solutions. Just listen.

Susan Scott, author of Fierce Conversations, states “Our careers and our companies and our relationships succeed or fail gradually, then suddenly, one conversation at a time.

With this in mind:

• Who do you most need to connect with in your team right now?

• Who in your business could do with 15 minutes of your focussed attention?

• What’s at stake if you ignore, dismiss or are too busy to connect?

Here’s a tool I put together that helps leaders connect with their people. Try it, tweak it, use it.

1-on-1 Conversation Tool