Image credit: HelloQuizy, Flickr Creative Commons
aNewDomain.net — An in person, face to face meet up makes a world of difference when it comes to trusting someone. Looking into the face that sits across you allows you to see expressions that Google+, Facebook or even Skype won’t allow.
We live in a remote control, hi-tech office environment, and yet the face to face meeting still matters. Body language is indicative of intent, and that can’t be seen anywhere else. Scroll below the fold for the infographic.
Un-interactive Culture
There are two major modes of work today: Work from home in sweatpants or office lockdown. Both of those put the individual alone, cubed in his own room or a cubicle, far away from other faces. It’s a dilemma.
Remote employees are not producing the kind of work required for a struggling company to succeed. When it comes to financial decisions, it turns out people are more likely to invest in those who have trustworthy-looking faces. There is evidence of this bias in the real-world: One recent cognitive science study, for example, found that individuals soliciting funding on a peer-to-peer lending site were more likely to receive it if they had a trustworthy-looking appearance.
Image Credit: Cell.com
Neuroscience and business research seem to agree. According to the Harvard Business Review Analytic Services:
In a 2009 global survey of 2,211 Harvard Business Review subscribers, 95 percent of respondents viewed in-person meetings as a key to success in building long-term relationships. Specifically, face-to-face meetings were seen as most effective for example. Negotiating important contracts (82 percent), Interviewing senior staff for key positions (81 percent).”
Reading your future partner’s facial expressions can make a huge difference. Those subtle visual cues and body language are the better than a hangout meeting.
Marissa Mayer, the CEO of Yahoo, changed the remote work rules. Forbes says,” … companies – like Yahoo, Best Buy, and now Reddit are equating workplace productivity with face time in the office.” Mayer’s employees are now face to face with each other and outsiders too. Maybe she realizes that “in your face” interactions will lead to more long-lasting success.
Grab a Coffee
It’s still worthwhile to hold the traditional coffee meet up — maybe over a Gin and Tonic. The infographic below explains that 69 percent of audio meet ups browse social media during meeting, and 47 percent of business mangers believe they lost business by not meeting up physically.
Maybe it’s time you met your customers, or even your employees, in person. Develop a bond and garner excellent work. We’re social creatures, after all.The bottom line is that Silicon Valley is a creative hub that happens between people who met each other face to face.
For aNewDomain.net, I’m David Michaelis.
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