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Virtual conversations are the new normal and building a rapport there is vital too. Here are 5 tips to bond during virtual conversations.
Has your networking taken a hit due to work from home? Do you find it hard to build rapport online especially since people choose to switch their videos off? Are you looking at simple techniques to bond with clients and colleagues to make virtual communication more effectively?
Well, if your answer to all of these questions was ‘yes,’ then fret not, for I have a few quick tips for you!
Are you someone who can never remember names? Do you think it’s okay to apologetically tell people that you have a bad memory and absolve yourself for not remembering their name?
If your answer to the first question is yes, you need to work on it. But the answer to the second question is ‘No!’
No matter what your excuse, when you forget someone’s name, they will not take it kindly. I believe the sweetest sound in any language is that of your own name. And that’s the case with everyone else too. So if you forget someone’s name, they will be unhappy.
On virtual calls, though you can’t see people, you can always use their name a couple of times in your conversations. The bonus of virtual calls is that you can see people’s names even if you can’t see their faces!
Using someone’s name makes the conversation personal and creates better bonds. Try and use this technique in most situations – with clients, colleagues – and on virtual calls or even during personal meetings.
With virtual meetings, the scope for non-verbal cues is limited. However, we still have some effective body language left to make others comfortable.
Smile genuinely. Make eye contact through the lens of your device. Use hand gestures effectively. These little things can go a long way in creating rapport just like in real meetings.
This is one of the best ways to familiarise yourself with people. Small talk is basically talking about anything but work. It is what we generally refer to as ‘chit-chat.’ Asking about people, the weather, their families and all other things like that.
Here’s how you can ace the small talk:
Everyone is online in today’s times. So it is a good idea to look up people – whether it is important clients or new members in your network. Just a sweep will give you a general idea about them.
This isn’t stalking but general research and gaining knowledge about the people/client you’d be talking to on a virtual call. Getting to know people and their backgrounds helps you break ice faster. And this extra intelligence will be the edge that you can have in conversation.
Working from home doesn’t mean that your job is secure forever. It is still imperative to stay in touch with your team members and seniors. This will be of great help during the lockdown and also once the office resumes.
If you are a team leader, connect with your team members, one-on-one. Call them and catch up with non-work topics. It is important to be empathetic and understand how each of your team members is coping up with the lockdown.
This applies to even senior managers and team members. Staying in touch and supporting each other is a big part of online bonding and rapport building.
Work from home may have changed the way we communicate and connect but hopefully, these tips help you bond better over virtual calls. It isn’t something that comes very easily but is definitely an essential part of our work lives till things go back to normal.
Picture credits: Fizkes via Getty Images for Canva Pro
Hello! I am a soft skills trainer with a passion to help people become better communicators and presenters. Writing is one of the tools I use to share my expertise and enable people to develop read more...
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
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14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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