Victoria Matey looks at the behavioral science behind events. Here’s what she says about returning to live events.
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The first thing to remember when returning to in-person is the social fatigue effect. It’s an emerging phenomenon explaining how, after a prolonged period of social isolation, many of us get overwhelmed and emotionally drained much faster when we communicate with others live. So, as much as you’d like to network, first take care of yourself. Take plenty of tiny breaks and balance your on-site schedule, or even walk outside for a few minutes.
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Second, if you feel anxious meeting in-person, think about what you have in common with the person you’re meeting. It’s not just about finding similarities, it’s called the Liking principle of persuasion. It relates to Unity, the 7th persuasion principle by Cialdini, and is about shared values and identities.
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Finally, people’s attitudes have changed a lot. It includes how we all value time differently and crave meaningful conversations. Keeping that in mind, make even small talk matter.
Abbreviated with permission from Victoria Matey.
