So you’ve probably heard the expression, time is money, right? Well, it’s never truer than when you are an entrepreneur running your own business.
Spend your time wisely and you’ll get a good return but spend it poorly and trust me when I say the business will suffer.
So what is good use of my time?
When I started my business, I spent a lot of my time driving to meetings. It wasn’t unusual to have a one hour meeting wrapped up with like three or four hours of travel, sometimes either side. And that’s nearly a whole working day gone for just 60 minutes of face-to-face time. It hardly seems a worthwhile use of time, do you think?
Well, when COVID came in, all of that changed. We weren’t allowed in our offices, let alone in someone else’s. So virtual meetings became the lifeline, didn’t it? Keeping the wheels of our business turning from the safety, literally, of our own homes.
And let’s be honest, they’ve been a game changer in so many ways, they were convenient, flexible and safe. It was a whole new way of doing business and it’s becoming grained into the way that we work today now. We can squeeze in a dozen calls, three Teams meetings, fire off a stack of emails and then load of texts all in the time it took to do that one hour meeting before.
Now surely that is a far better use of time, right?
Well, maybe not. So many people are now defaulting to virtual interactions, but I think it’s time to reassess the balance between efficiency and effectiveness. Yes, face-to-face meetings are more time consuming than virtual ones, but in the right circumstances, I strongly believe that they are worth the extra investment and here’s why.
Number one, face-to-face meetings build deeper, more authentic relationships.
In a virtual call, it’s easy to mute, multitask, but when you’re in the same room, you can create bonds with people that really last and nothing beats a visit to a client to learn about their business. You’ll pick up the mood in the offices, you’ll find out, if they’re busy, is there a sense of teamwork? Does it feel like a happy place to be? And you’ll also be able to put faces to names and really build relationships with people, which is invaluable.
Secondly, you’ll pick up on the nuances of communication.
Now face to face, you will get that much more than the words. You’ll pick up on their body language, facial expressions, and tone is so important. You’ll also be able to observe other people in the room. You’ll be able to gauge their reactions to what’s being said. It’s easier to establish where the power lies, who’s in control, who the decision makers are. And I’ve seen deals lost because people have misread or misheard critical information. But if you’re in the same room, that is much less likely.
Face-to-face, we catch these nuances, so we get a clearer understanding and you have fewer follow-up emails or trying to clear things up or clarify details. I’ve seen problems that have lingered for months that can be resolved in just a few minutes when all of the stakeholders are in the same room. Honestly, it can be like magic. Now, next one. Face-to-face meetings are often more productive.
Now, virtual meetings can be hampered by technical glitches, distractions, that infamous, you’re on mute moment.
People often arrive late or they leave early and how many times do you hear, sorry, I’ve got to go, I’ve got another Teams call? But in a room together, your focus sharpens. Decisions get made faster. Ideas flow without lag. It’s also often much easier to ask questions to clarify understanding. When it comes to being creative, face-to-face meetings knock virtual meetings out of the park, right?
And then there’s the sales situations. Face-to-face with a customer, you can read their body language. You can pick up on the buying signals. You can propose solutions and you can close a deal, right? This isn’t a nostalgic view of how it used to be. This is the reality of being face-to-face and it directly impacts the bottom line of your business.
Now, next. Face-to-face meetings spark creativity and innovation.
There is magic in the unplanned sidebar conversations, the whiteboard sketches, the energy of a group of people feeding off each other and everyone’s enthusiasm. Virtual platforms stifle this by comparison. They’re structured, they are stifling. Get people together and getting the energy, that’s incredible. Try the same thing on a video call and it’s a one way communication, right? Each taking their turn until the minutes on the clock run out.
Now my fifth and final reason for championing the face-to-face meetings is that they foster greater accountability.
They foster higher levels of commitment as well. When you’re looking someone in the eye, there is no hiding behind a screen. The promises that are made feel very, very real. And in turn, it builds a culture of reliability. People feel personally invested and they are more likely to deliver on their promises.
Research shows that employees that are in a high interaction environment are much more engaged and committed than those who are not. If you want your teams to be really invested in the company’s success, let them build those human relationships.
So there you go. COVID-19 triggered a revolution in the way that business was done and virtual became king, but I also believe that we lost something. We lost the human contact, the energy that comes from face-to-face interaction.
Life and business are all about balance and now’s the time to rebalance how we interact with our colleagues and clients.
The benefits of face-to-face meetings are clear. Deeper relationships, better communication, higher productivity, more creativity, higher levels of commitment. None of which are just nice-to-haves. They’re the competitive advantages that can make real business difference. Virtual tools have their place, but they can’t replace the irreplaceable.
So, check your diary and make that face-to-face meeting happen. Thanks for watching and have a brilliant week!