Are you using your Containers for connection well?
Connection is a key driver of engagement - but often there’s a sense that in a busy week - there’s no time available for something as seemingly soft as time together. The reality, and the good news is - the moments already exist in our calendars - it’s simply a matter of using them a little differently.
The weekly 1:1
This is the most powerful connection moment a manager has, and the most wasted. Only 15% of employees whose manager doesn't meet with them regularly are engaged. Regular meetings almost triple that.
Most 1:1s are status updates. Start with the person instead: how are you, and what do you need from me?
2. The TEAM meeting
Researchers for Harvard Business Review asked nearly 200 Executives how effective their meetings are, and only 17% said their meetings were generally a productive use of both group and individual time.
With that in mind - we might as well use the time to connect. So, skip generic check-ins that make people tune out and ask something slightly more personal: "What's gone well this week?" or throw in an ice-breaker - you can find inspo here.
3. The client meeting
Negotiators who subtly mirrored their counterpart were more likely to reach a deal, and trust explained why. Clients buy people they trust. Spend time actually connecting before driving your agenda. A client is still a person you need to connect with. No one wants to feel sold-to or pitched-at. We all want to feel connected with.
4. The offsite
Most offsites are over-programmed. The best moments at offsites are often when people just get a chance to explore together - and connect on a human level. Protect one hour a day while off-site to allow space for connection.
5. The adhoc moments
Coffee chats, corridor catch-ups and the kettle queue are where much real connection happens, and hybrid work has slowly but surely removed many of them. Reach out to one person you enjoy talking and thinking with each week with no agenda - beyond a chance to catch-up and connect.
Which container can you use more effectively?
Sources: Gallup; Mark, Attention Span (2023); Maddux, Mullen & Galinsky, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology (2008).