We’ve spent the last five years staring at peoples’ Zoom backgrounds.

It’s interesting to see how this has changed. At first, it was just the view of someone’s kitchen. Then generic green-screened pictures, and now lots of blurring.

But it does bring to mind how much we pay attention to the larger context of every conversation.

I was speaking with someone yesterday while we were outside. The environment was beautiful, but cold. Bone chilling. It made it hard to pay attention after the first minute or so. We cut the conversation shorter than if the weather had been pleasant.

Or on one of my innumerable Zoom calls the other day, where the guy’s arm kept disappearing as the software couldn’t figure out if it was his body or part of the background. Super distracting.

When you anticipate a difficult conversation with an employee, you have some choices:

  • Stop by their desk
  • Reserve a conference room
  • Catch them outside the building
  • Do a video call

Each of these has a quite different dynamic. Some are better at protecting confidentiality or setting the proper frame of mind.

The point is not that there is one “best way” to do this. It’s to pick the environment thoughtfully and intentionally.

For a few years I managed a team which was scattered in six locations around the world. As a new employee came on board, I made a point to travel to meet them in person at their home location. I saw their workspace, we talked about city and family. It was absolutely the best way to create a new relationship and understand their mindset. And they saw my commitment to being a caring and supportive manager. These days I’d probably have to do that with video calls, but I’d still want to meet them in person at the first opportunity.

So think about it … what’s the environment you’ll choose for that next important conversation? What’s in the background?