Connection Before Content

Written By Robin LeBlanc

Strategy Corner

Connection Before Content

Whether a monthly Board meeting, a new project team, or even a municipal Planning Board meeting, people will be working together, exploring ideas together, making decisions. All of that tends to go more smoothly if/when there is a personal connection among those at the table – whether It’s in person or virtual.

One way to do this is to take a quick moment, before beginning the “business” portion, and go around the table/screen and have everyone answer a question like “What did you have for breakfast?” or “What did you listen to on your way over?”

When I first introduced this to a Board a few years ago, they were very nice about it but I could sense the eye-rolls. However, it was not too many sessions before I felt – and saw – a shift among the group members. And by the end of the year, they knew each other pretty well – even if they did not see each other between meetings.

Try it at your next gathering, and then at the one after, and so on. See what a difference it can make.

Robin LeBlanc

Robin has years of experience in teaching, marketing, business development, organizational leadership and facilitation. She has worked in municipalities, in universities, in corporations and in non-profits. Most recently, she was Executive Director of Plan NH, which focuses on the impact of the built environment on the fabrics of a community.

Robin is particularly interested in:

  • Facilitating conversations, especially exploratory ones, that might lead to positive change in a team or organization.

  • Guiding Strategic and other planning processes for small to medium organizations.

  • Assisting with workshop and/or conference planning and design so that attendees feel more connected to the topic or theme, to each other, and to the hosting organization.

Robin can be reached at robin@rhlstrategies.com.

https://www.rhlstrategies.com
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