“The screen has become a barrier to genuine human connection, turning every conversation into a performance and every meeting into a marathon of mental gymnastics.”
My Zoom interactions today are confined mainly to a single person—interviewing on Getting Unstuck or chatting with a friend. However, I recall organizing and attending larger Zoom meetings and experiencing much of what you describe here, Dennis. Honestly, it's one reason I backed away from 360° and similar meetings.
I prefer Zoom for 1:1 conversations because, as you know, a lot of information comes to us visually. (Melissa just did a powerful piece on that related to the hospitality industry.) That said, I would love to be in a position to actually sit down with a friend. Most of mine don't live in NYC.
Your advice on taking breaks is wise. And speaking of which, it's time to make breakfast! Ha!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Jeff. As you know, we feel fortunate to explore more of the world each year and are always eager to meet members of our global community in person—including you. A few years ago, we noticed the "pandemic effect" had a dual impact: initially, people were forced to limit in-person interactions, which led to the rise of Zoom and other virtual alternatives. However, even after restrictions eased, many became overly comfortable with virtual meetings—even when they could easily connect face-to-face. Our mission has since focused on encouraging people to step out of this self-imposed isolation and rediscover the unique benefits of in-person connection.
Our first foray into the world of Zoom was with Our Friendship Bench, which we launched just over five years ago and has continued to thrive, week after week. The reason for its lasting success? It’s intentionally “unstructured”—there are no set agendas, no strict rules, and no recordings—allowing us to recreate the spontaneity and authenticity of in-person interactions as closely as possible. Reflecting on this journey (and thanks to Zoom), our community of regular and ever-growing “Benchwarmers” has blossomed into genuine, lasting friendships. So while we have played a part in 'Zoom Fatigue', we've learned the value of such a forum not as the preferred means of connection, but rather the best means of connection and relationship development when geography (distance) is the issue.
All of these reflections inspired us to launch Encounter 360° over two years ago, and they continue to motivate us as we prepare for our next event this coming February. While organizing these gatherings from the ground up—without any outside assistance—can be a daunting task, the experience of seeing more than 50 people come together for hugs, handshakes, laughter, learning, and so much more over two days was truly extraordinary. The positive energy and relationships created and/or cemented during those moments have had a lasting ripple effect well beyond the event itself. So while Zoom will maintain it's proper place in our mix, we will always seek the "magic" of human connection in our journey to rediscover humanity.
Thanks for listening :-) and hope your breakfast was wonderful!
Breakfast is always good! Dennis, if I didn't have this wonderful convergence of travel this year—all planned at my doing!—I'd be considering Encountering 360°. Best wishes for success and for masterminding this opportunity for human connection.
So true, Dennis! I know the neurological toll it takes on us, but the difference between face-to-face and digital conversations cannot be overstated. There are days that by 2 or 3 in the afternoon after 4 or 5 zoom calls, I'm wiped out. It's not that I don't enjoy the people I'm speaking with, but the zoom fatigue is real. Thanks for bringing this to light and for making Encounter 360 real, too. I'm excited to be going in February 2026!
Thank you, Melissa. Your observation about the distinct neurological toll of digital versus face-to-face interactions perfectly underscores why we felt it was so crucial to recreate a space for genuine connection next February. Can't wait for the magic of hugs & handshakes to begin, my friend.
My Zoom interactions today are confined mainly to a single person—interviewing on Getting Unstuck or chatting with a friend. However, I recall organizing and attending larger Zoom meetings and experiencing much of what you describe here, Dennis. Honestly, it's one reason I backed away from 360° and similar meetings.
I prefer Zoom for 1:1 conversations because, as you know, a lot of information comes to us visually. (Melissa just did a powerful piece on that related to the hospitality industry.) That said, I would love to be in a position to actually sit down with a friend. Most of mine don't live in NYC.
Your advice on taking breaks is wise. And speaking of which, it's time to make breakfast! Ha!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Jeff. As you know, we feel fortunate to explore more of the world each year and are always eager to meet members of our global community in person—including you. A few years ago, we noticed the "pandemic effect" had a dual impact: initially, people were forced to limit in-person interactions, which led to the rise of Zoom and other virtual alternatives. However, even after restrictions eased, many became overly comfortable with virtual meetings—even when they could easily connect face-to-face. Our mission has since focused on encouraging people to step out of this self-imposed isolation and rediscover the unique benefits of in-person connection.
Our first foray into the world of Zoom was with Our Friendship Bench, which we launched just over five years ago and has continued to thrive, week after week. The reason for its lasting success? It’s intentionally “unstructured”—there are no set agendas, no strict rules, and no recordings—allowing us to recreate the spontaneity and authenticity of in-person interactions as closely as possible. Reflecting on this journey (and thanks to Zoom), our community of regular and ever-growing “Benchwarmers” has blossomed into genuine, lasting friendships. So while we have played a part in 'Zoom Fatigue', we've learned the value of such a forum not as the preferred means of connection, but rather the best means of connection and relationship development when geography (distance) is the issue.
All of these reflections inspired us to launch Encounter 360° over two years ago, and they continue to motivate us as we prepare for our next event this coming February. While organizing these gatherings from the ground up—without any outside assistance—can be a daunting task, the experience of seeing more than 50 people come together for hugs, handshakes, laughter, learning, and so much more over two days was truly extraordinary. The positive energy and relationships created and/or cemented during those moments have had a lasting ripple effect well beyond the event itself. So while Zoom will maintain it's proper place in our mix, we will always seek the "magic" of human connection in our journey to rediscover humanity.
Thanks for listening :-) and hope your breakfast was wonderful!
Breakfast is always good! Dennis, if I didn't have this wonderful convergence of travel this year—all planned at my doing!—I'd be considering Encountering 360°. Best wishes for success and for masterminding this opportunity for human connection.
So true, Dennis! I know the neurological toll it takes on us, but the difference between face-to-face and digital conversations cannot be overstated. There are days that by 2 or 3 in the afternoon after 4 or 5 zoom calls, I'm wiped out. It's not that I don't enjoy the people I'm speaking with, but the zoom fatigue is real. Thanks for bringing this to light and for making Encounter 360 real, too. I'm excited to be going in February 2026!
Thank you, Melissa. Your observation about the distinct neurological toll of digital versus face-to-face interactions perfectly underscores why we felt it was so crucial to recreate a space for genuine connection next February. Can't wait for the magic of hugs & handshakes to begin, my friend.