Kelly M. Willenberg (kelly@kellywillenberg.com) is President and CEO of Kelly Willenberg LLC in Greenville, SC.
Effectively communicating with your connections is an important part of engaging team members and customers. Finding the best way to show emotion is a universal challenge for all of us right now, as we are working via technology or with a mask on. Some of these challenges of communicating emotion with a face mask on were described in The New York Times in June.[1] Those interviewed for the article lamented about how face masks make the ability to convey facial expressions problematic, prompting one to find alternate ways to communicate positively. Nonverbal cues, such as using eye contact or body language, may help someone to feel more comfortable. Even though we are not face to face, direct eye contact can show compassion while establishing an intention for a conversation. Being genuine in that approach will provide clarity when needed.
