Between online and real interaction
I am an open person towards novelty, towards the future, emancipated and very intuitive. I understand and use technology and acknowledge that it has made life easier. Nevertheless, I am concerned by discussions about how our life has definitively changed since we've been living with the virus, specifically the claims that this is the future: only online meetings, almost zero interaction.
Balancing on the pendulum effect
I understand that we are currently living what in psychology we call the "pendulum effect" — the swing from one extreme to the other. Our emotional state or lifestyle, like a pendulum, fluctuates from one side to the other.
"The pendulum's oscillations lead us in completely opposite directions; both positions are full of danger — loss of voluntary concentration, rational thought, and emotional balance."
If before the pandemic we were willing to travel 20 hours for a meeting with colleagues, today we organize online meetings. If we used to see each other over coffee, today we have weddings, baptisms and celebrations on Teams or ZOOM.
What we lose when we no longer look at each other
Today, people no longer have the courage to look each other in the eyes. There are apps and platforms behind which we can hide from rejections or awkward situations. Gradually, tolerance to frustration decreases, and we transform into hypersensitive people.
In business, the lack of face-to-face contact weakens trust between people, team connection, and leads to wrong hiring decisions. A friend from top management experienced this: two hiring decisions made exclusively from online interviews proved wrong.
"Teams will be truly united working shoulder to shoulder, face to face. Large, solid partnerships will be signed only after long discussions and a dinner."
In our projects, every shortlisted candidate goes to the client only after a face-to-face discussion. We manage this 90% of the time.
The pendulum must settle in the middle
I am not among those who ignore the pandemic, but I strongly assert that we must maintain balance. The pendulum must settle in the middle, and a balanced life requires interaction, communication, laughter, handshakes, hugs.
The secret is to accept what we cannot change at the macro level, rejoicing in small changes around us.
