Harvard Business Review is a favorite “read” for Leadership & PM best practices.  An excellent article on connecting with others even as pandemic hopefully will end in future months.  These principles are applicable in better working with others — whether virtual or in-person

Getting Back to the Basics of Human Connection (hbr.org)

While some of us may be eager to share our experiences with old and new coworkers when returning to the office, others may not be ready to talk about the emotionally searing experiences we’ve been through over the past year and a half. We may even feel like different people than we were in February 2020. At the very least, we’ve probably grown more distant from each other and less accustomed to each other’s rhythms. To reboot our in-person working relationships — and maybe make them even better than they were pre-pandemic — it’s helpful to go back to the basics of human connection. The authors explore one of the most fundamental social skills: attunement, or the ability to be aware of your own state of mind and body while tuning in and connecting to another person. They present four steps to help you manage the many feelings you may have as you return to in-person work make your communication more effective

1. Take time to prepare your nervous system — Plan, relax, focus (rather than being stressed/unprepared)
2. Listen to the other person — and yourself — Avoid talking over folks & listen carefully also
3. Practice empathy — Put yourself in other person’s shoes & treat respectfully
4. Keep expressing interest — Allow & encourage good participation