Virtual Enrollment

Many of us have now been operating virtually for at least 18 months. 

Zoom and Teams are standard meeting locations. Nice(ish) shirts, shorts, and hair done at the front is the standard dress.

We show up for the calls, but are we genuinely enrolled in the online relationship?

Let me back up. Enrollment refers to the agreement and willingness of a person to be involved. Have you thought about getting more from your team through genuine enrollment in your online relationship?

Seth Godin brilliantly wrote about the confusion of enrollment.

“Public school has confused us about how important enrollment can be. That’s because organized schooling is mandatory, and ‘enrollment’ is simply something that happens on paper, not emotionally.

It’s far easier to coach a spirited cricket team than it is to teach those very same kids improper fractions. That’s obvious–in the first case, they’re enrolled in the game, and in the second, they’re simply complying with as little effort as possible.”

So, how can you “enroll” your team to participate in this online structure emotionally, instead of through forced mandatory rules?

• Ask them what they think

• Determine what they value - do they like to bump elbows at the cafeteria and chat?

• Listen, empathize, and genuinely think of ways to connect with these values

A leader I know recently took her team mini-golfing. It was a Covid-safe get-together. It was easy and low cost and fun. That offline activity changed how they work together online. Why? Because she listened, empathized, and acted when she found out they were missing connection.

What have you asked recently to connect on a level of emotion, rather than on paper?