Hello Friends,
Greetings from Barcelona where I am still buzzing from the launch of the Breakthrough Facilitation course last week with a dynamite group🔥. We’ve been deep into how to create human connection online. More on that below👇
🙌Many thanks for reading The Quest. A very special shoutout to Allegra in Seattle, Michaele in Bracebridge, Julia in Quebec City, and Twitter friends @TeachGlobalEd and @kristenhaaf.
If you are joining for the first time, welcome to our deep dive into all things creativity, facilitation, and learning.
You can catch up on the last edition 🧨How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome and all past editions here.
They were exhausted.
It had only been a few weeks. But this seminar class of young teacher-trainees had already enough of online classes. They hadn’t signed up for this.
The worst part? There was no end in sight.
One student described it as a “vicious cycle of blackness”.
In the span of a few weeks this blackness had led to hopelessness. By the time I met these students several were considering dropping out of the program.
Like billions of people around the world, they were experiencing what it felt to be suddenly cut off from human contact.
I designed a series of experiential online sessions to help them reconnect with each other in the virtual space.
They learned about each other through sharing personal stories in breakout groups.
We did movement exercises to break the stiffness of sitting in front of the computer screen.
We played games to bring the fun back into learning.
They felt connected again as a group. And it completely changed the dynamic of their online classes.
They told me it felt like this:
The students taught me 3 profound lessons about creating connection online.
1) We are wired to connect. Our fulfillment and happiness depend on establishing strong bonds. The isolation that the students felt led to the vicious cycle of blackness.
2) Learning is social. When we are in person we pick up on subtle cues, facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language that builds connection. The students were missing this kind of connection in the virtual space.
3) Interaction sparks connection. It ignites our curiosity about each other. There are more opportunities for spontaneous interaction when we are in person. That is not the case for virtual sessions.
You can create experiences online where deep and meaningful connection can be made.
But it doesn’t happen on its own.
You need to design the online experience for connection to happen.
How?
That’s our Quest for this week 🔎
👉Creating High Quality Connections (HQC)
👉10 Tips for Creating Connection Online
👉Free facilitation workshop for Spanish speakers October 21
And more
Let’s dive right in!
🤝What it Takes to Create High Quality Connections (HQCs)
A fascinating 2-minute video by UC Michigan professor Jane Dutton on creating High Quality Connections (HQCs).
Dutton describes HQCs as:
“… a short term interaction in which both people experience vitality, positive regard and mutuality in which you feel energized by the interaction.”
Think about a quick chat with a mail carrier. A friendly exchange with a co-worker. Even speed dating.
They are important because they increase your capacity to think, create, engage, and adapt beyond the interaction.
What you need to know:
- HQCs happen in seconds of interacting with another person.
- They can happen with strangers and people you know well. In-person and online.
- They don’t need to lead to long-term relationships.
The takeaway? If you want to accelerate connection online, build in opportunities for many HQCs especially at the beginning of a session or course. Try warm-ups, icebreakers, and short breakouts with different partners.
How can you increase your HQCs?
10 Tips for Creating Connection Online
A twitter thread I wrote with practical tips for sparking connection in online groups. Check it out on Twitter👇
📅Free Facilitation Workshop Series for Spanish Speakers October 18-24
I’m thrilled to be included in this year’s edition of #FacilitationWeek organized by IAF España.
Check out the 5 free online workshops in Spanish to help you flex your facilitation muscles.
Join me on October 21 for my session on How to Guide Your Groups to Great Outcomes.
Check out the full program and register here 👉https://bit.ly/3mrS9vf
💌Thanks for reading The Quest
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Creatively yours,
