Face Time, Not Just "FaceTime" Improves Accountability, Understanding

In our digitally focused world, it's easy to fall in love with the convenience and immediacy of digital communications. And while communicating electronically -- whether it's by phone, video conferencing, or other electronic methods -- may be fine, there's nothing quite like face-to-face meetings to improve your business relationships.

Why? For me it comes down to understanding and accountability.

In a 2012 Wakefield Research survey, 96 per cent of businesses travellers said that "face time is the most important part of developing and maintaining strong relationships." And that one hour of in-person contact was equivalent to "five video conferences, 10 telephone calls, or 20 e-mails." 

Sometimes it's just not feasible to bring the whole team together. And for smaller businesses, the cost of travel can seem prohibitive. But beyond what the numbers say, even just anecdotally, meeting people in person is always going to have a greater impact and is an investment worth making.

I realized this (as I realized I haven't posted anything here this week), due to a couple of out-of-town trips and a weekend fundraising experience. It's easy to say no to a computer, but it's harder to say no to a person. That's why the Holy Grail of calls to action involves a human element (superseded only by a puppy looking forlornly as the strains of Sarah McLachlan plays faintly behind...)

Why does it work? For me, it comes down to two key elements: accountability and understanding.

Accountability

Over my career, I've worked at a couple of companies with head offices outside of Canada. It became painfully clear that out of sight often did mean out of mind. And if you were nothing more than an e-mail address, it was simple for requests, notes, and questions to be relegated to a lower priority.

But relationship-building fixes that. Going down and meeting cohorts, having conversations, socializing, and working together in person builds that sense of accountability. You're no longer just a name, but rather a face and a relationship. And many of those relationships have continued long after I've left the company.

And it's not just about their accountability, but it's also about yours. Knowing the people you work with beyond an e-mail address is automatically going to increase your sense of "team."

Understanding

As I writer, I go out of my way to try to take out any sense of ambiguity from my writing -- but you really can't control how people are going to contextualize your text. Tone and intent can get lost -- and, more often than not, misinterpreted -- through electronic communication.

But in-person meetings allow you to place statements in the proper context. Even a simple "OK," can range from enthusiastic support to reluctant and unwelcome acquiescence. That can be hard to discern through an e-mail or text, but it becomes overwhelmingly clear in person.

Body language is a powerful indicator of emotion. And even if you have a video conference with a group, it can be easy to miss important clues. At a meeting this week, it was clear that one person had questions that hadn't been effectively answered yet. But the person didn't outright express those concerns. Instead, it was a mix of furrowed brows, cocked heads, and pursed lips that betrayed the sentiment -- and allowed those of us at the meeting to ask follow-ups and ensure that everyone walked away happy.

You may not be able to see that on a video call. And you certainly can't see that in a conference call or over a text.

Soft Skills

That said, it's not just enough to show up. You need to be invested, personable, and willing to listen. You need to ask questions, taken an interest in the people you're working with, and be genuine.

In essence, you need to show you care about the other person.

And that can be challenging for people, not because they don't care,  but because they don't know how -- or are unable -- to show that behaviour. Some people just lock up in social situations, others are painfully awkward, and some legitimately have anxiety issues that make person-to-person interactions extremely challenging.

 Unfortunately, those soft skills involved in networking and social situations aren't taught out of a book -- or even prioritized in school. They are things you can only learn by doing and repeating. Some people are more natural than others; some people make it seem natural even though they'd rather be doing anything but interacting.

But the effort is worth the reward.