Debra Fine presented ways to strengthen our connections during COVID-19. Debra is the author of a number of books including, The Fine Art of Small Talk. She spoke about how to launch conversations via Zoom, and encouraged our club to continue with breakout chats following our Zoom meetings, where we can visit with smaller groups of members. Debra's club in Denver has implemented Rotary Happy Hours via Zoom, where members are assigned to groups according to their last name.
Generally speaking, Debra asked us to be the one "who assumes the burden" in meetings. Launch a conversation with people that has nothing to do with the business at hand. The best way to start a conversation is to ask the other person "what keeps you busy outside of work (or school, or children or home, etc.) Stay on topic in your response to the other person's answer (i.e. if the person mentions gardening, then elaborate on gardening).
Give people something to talk about when you start a conversation. When someone exposes something about themselves, show compassion and empathy. Don't try to upstage them with your challenges, but be willing to share your challenges after listening to them. Stay away from questions that require a "yes" or "no" answer. By implementing these tips, we can all improve our conversations!