Yes, meeting virtually has some real benefits. And we continue to enjoy those benefits, thanks to the pandemic that will not end.
And. I am really missing seeing people and speaking to groups in person, in the real world.
Aren’t you?
My mastermind group met on Zoom again this week, as we have for going-on-two-years now. The exchange is always valuable, there’s something to learn from every gathering, and we have sparkling conversation that adds fun to the mix.
Still, I miss sitting around a table with those friends, sharing our experiences, our observations, and our hard-won learning face-to-face.
Sunday night, it was a virtual workshop for members of Shakti Community, eager to discover how they could introduce themselves and their work in a more compelling way than the age-old “elevator pitch.”
Brilliant women—technology-savvy and business-smart. I may have learned as much from them as they did from me.
I’ll admit, there was a benefit to being on Zoom – people from Phoenix, Raleigh, and Exton, Pennsylvania joined us Chicagoans. Couldn’t have happened if we’d been in a hotel meeting room in Schaumburg.
And, I would have loved the opportunity to coach those women in person.
Coming up this weekend, I’m doing a keynote for District 30 Toastmasters. It’s their annual Hall of Fame Awards event … and yes … again this year, it’s on Zoom.
I was delighted to be invited, of course. I’m not a Toastmasters member, and I know what a big honor it is to be on their virtual stage. I tried not to sound too braggy when I posted about it on LinkedIn.
People commented with their congratulations and good wishes, including the traditional “Break a leg.”
Which, of course, has nothing to do with hoping a performer will wind up in an orthopedist’s office.
Theater folks have used that expression for years as a good-luck wish. The “break” they’re referring to is really a bend.
“Break a leg” means to unstraighten the leg by bending at the knee—bowing or curtsying. Which one would naturally do in response to vigorous applause from the audience after a stellar performance.
I won’t be bowing or curtsying, of course. I’ll be sitting in front of my laptop the whole time, as usual, connecting with the Toastmasters by way of pixels and gigabytes.
That led to an exchange with my friend Eileen Kent about how we wish speakers well in the era of online presentations.
Instead of saying, “Break a leg,” meaning bow after a great performance, Eileen had an idea. How about, “Good luck, good voice, and good technology.”
I love it!
No matter how much we prepare, all kinds of things can go wrong when we’re speaking. There’s always an element of luck involved when we’re sharing our expertise, our insight, and our selves with an audience.
Anyone who’s come down with a cold before a big talk knows how important it is to be in good voice when we’re speaking anywhere.
And if you’ve ever had your internet crap out in the midst of a presentation, as I have, you know how important good technology is.
I read an article recently about all the words and phrases that have entered our lexicon since the novel coronavirus entered our lives in early 2020. There were a lot of them.
“Good luck, good voice, and good technology” is a terrific addition to the mix. And it’s my wish for you, next time you’re sitting at your laptop talking to anyone on a virtual platform.
Meantime, are you with me in feeling eager to get back to meeting live-and-in-person?
