It seems an age since I last posted on this – we were a couple of weeks into lockdown and the maths seem to be saying that things would be relaxing in May. What the maths didn’t predict was the humungous impact on public transport and the likely extension of our “two-metre society” into the mid-future. So here we all still are.
When I wrote, I was hoping that I’d be doing e-cocktails soon and this has come to pass together with a whole bunch of other connection activities – we now have regular quizzes with Panduit, we’ve done a “mysterious quest” with Stephenson Harwood (either you did it or you’ll have to find out later because it’s a shame to give away the game), Dungeons and Dragons is now a regular thing with some of the people here, the legendry Twist and Shout video is bound to go viral at any moment (despite what Adam begs) and we’re getting quite ambitious. Check out the screenshot of me dragging myself out of bed at midnight to have a beer with people in Japan, Australia and the US! This effort has been replicated across the firm – teams are getting together regularly, and we’ve had some really successful marketing events with breakfasts and other goodie packs delivered to multiple venues simultaneously bringing a real sense of community, sharing and fun to our distributed existence.
We are now in the middle phase; the initial unfamiliarity has faded, the end is beginning to be in sight, but everything seems to be the same. But what can we do in this middle phase? The answer is simple: stay staying connected! Energy seems to have dropped a little generally, but it’s still lovely keeping in touch. Indeed part of the energy drop may be because we still aren’t in control, but it’s possible to change that feeling.
People enjoyed the idea of a coffee or a pint on the internet a couple of months ago and, although the novelty has faded, I’m finding the conversations are getting more relaxed as we get to know the situation – and each other – better. And if in doubt, the principle remains the same – do something new and interesting and people will enjoy it. Shared experiences like food or drink are really powerful and it’s worth keeping an eye online to see what people are coming up with next – there are businesses who will deliver all the food ingredients to multiple houses so that you can cook at the same time, or curate virtual wine tastings, and quiz rounds are becoming ever more fabulous. Great ideas like that are really good fun and energise people hugely.
A big revelation to me, driven partly by the experiences with Panduit, has been how international this has made my social life; suddenly I’m having a beer with friends and clients all over the world every few weeks whereas before it would have involved me flying out there (and grappling with jet lag). It all depends on who you’re in contact with, but again reaching out to people you hadn’t really thought of is worth it. Being a beacon of cheer doesn’t mean being the life and soul of the party, often it can just mean turning up to someone else’s event and showing support.
I suggested above that the end is in sight, but it’s important to understand that the end doesn’t mean getting back to the way it was, nor does it mean it mean the “new normal” – a phase that Katy Sayer hates so much and rightly so. I’d define it instead as “The New Weird”. It’s going to take us a while to get to grips with how things pan out; office life looks very likely to change based on the views expressed in Jonathan’s recent poll, client interaction has already changed and Adam is busy rethinking our entire MBD strategy in a restricted travel world. The energy and creativity we are bringing already to staying connected is going to remain equally relevant both internally and externally, but it seems pretty clear to me that at least within our space K&S has already come up with some of the best ideas around and that will continue.
So, let’s start thinking: what will the new weird look like? What will work be like, what have I learnt that I can benefit from and what of the “old ways” can I now surreptitiously discard? There will definitely be a place in the “new weird” for the “old normal”, but maybe have a think about how it might work for you, to regain that sense of control, and whatever else, keep #StayingConnected!