July 2011

Let's get face to face!

There's something I see time and time again when I speak at conferences or in workplaces: there comes a break in the presentation and then everyone races off to check their mobiles or computer screens!

Here we are at a conference that we might have paid hard-earned money to attend. Or we might have taken time off work, or taken time away from family, to be there. And the big advantage on offer are all the amazing face-to-face connections we can make with people - to share stories, successes, ideas and opportunities.

But what do we do? We make a mad scramble to use our social media! We are addicted and obsessed with this technology to the point where it takes away a major opportunity staring us in the face, literally: the face-to-face connection.

There's nothing like the power of body language to communicate our messages, the key expressions we make with our faces, the stories we tell with our eyes. We overlook the most powerful form of communication we have as social human beings and use what's second or third best!

Now don't get me wrong. I'm actually a big fan of social media and technology that helps us communicate our messages and stay in touch with people. After all, this is an e-newsletter! And I know how awesome it is to get text messages from my wife or kids wishing me good luck when I'm about to go on stage and speak. It puts a massive smile on my face. And it's equally awesome to be able to see my young nephew on Skype, learning to crawl on the floor in another country.

But if the opportunity was there for me to hug my kids before I went on stage, if the chance was there to watch my nephew crawl in the same room, I'd never knock that back and use social media instead! Would you? I don't think so. Yet that's what we do when we fail to use the opportunity presented to us for face-to-face time with peers and leaders. Through the inspiration of having them in the same room, they can help us build our teams and change our lives, right there and then.

We need to get face-to-face when the opportunity is there. Let me give you just one example of why. I spoke at a conference in Queensland recently and I was chatting with a young guy who runs a successful business with his Mum. The young man knew that he'd started to let his fitness go, to the point where he was struggling for energy later in the afternoons. But he was also struggling to get time to exercise.

I suggested that it's sometimes a whole lot easier when we do our exercise with a buddy, that he should think about finding someone to exercise with. A guy overheard our conversation and said, "Hey, I'd be happy to buddy up and get fit with you!" Talk about instant messaging! That's the power of face-to-face communication in action. It showed that young man how he could do things differently, take his life in a new direction, start the small steps towards his goal - all because of the energy, excitement and commitment right there in the room.

Social media is definitely part of our armory. It helps us keep in touch, increases our sphere of influence and communicates our messages in exciting ways. But it is just not as inspiring, rich or meaningful as getting face-to-face with someone. In any situation we need to ask, Is this the best way to communicate, how could I do it better? Face-to-face, where possible, should be our number-one option if we are serious about powerful communication.

I look forward to hearing your inspiring communication stories - and to getting face-to-face with you really soon!

Feedback

Hi Peter,

"Bringing our team of 90 people together for five days and five nights and keeping them focused and in-tune for this time is a challenge in itself.  Your session (after 2 late nights and two intensive days), would be enough to challenge the challenger!

Our team, in short, loved Blackbelt in Excellence ... not only did the team have fun together, they took away a life lesson.  

Blackbelt in Excellence gave both the male and female team members a chance to build strength together.  

Your ability to understand the business you work with is a testament to your commitment to excellence.  My team thoroughly enjoyed working with you.

Best regards,
Director of Sales, Cosmetics

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