La vulnerabilidad es una herramienta poderosa para crear conexiones genuinas desde lo emocional. Nos permite relacionarnos de una manera más auténtica, brindando seguridad, generando empatía y fomentando una comunicación activa. Esto facilita que las reuniones se desarrollen en un ambiente de respeto y apertura de dos vías, donde ambos lados se sientan cómodos, por ejemplo, al encender la cámara. Así, se construyen interacciones más auténticas y enriquecedoras.

I have tested the following strategies in order to use EI to build trust with my teams, they all work: 1. Send expectations/rules about the meeting ahead of time. Everyone will be on the same page before the meeting even starts. 2. Ask everyone to turn their cameras on, they will get more out of the meeting this way. 3. Add something fun to the agenda, such as trivia, sharing pictures or videos that are relevant to everyone. 4. Share a story where you show vulnerability as a leader, modeling for the rest of team that you are also a human being with ups and downs. Depending on the size of your team, many other strategies can be more applicable. Ask your team for ideas, this will make them feel included and give them a sense of BELONGING.

Virtual meetings call for heightened emotional intelligence as it is much harder to pick up on subtle visual clues and body language. Learn to look into the camera and not at the images of the other participants or even worse, yourself. This is especially important when you are speaking or when someone else is saying something that is plainly important to them. Although looking into the camera makes it even harder to pick up on visual clues, it creates a sense that you are making eye contact with the other person and this is critical to building trust.

To build trust in virtual team meetings using emotional intelligence, start by being present and actively listening. Acknowledge and validate the emotions of others to show you care. Foster open dialogue with open-ended questions and show empathy by understanding different perspectives. Be transparent in your communication to include everyone in the decision-making process. Finally, follow up with team members to maintain connection and address any concerns.

Permitir que el equipo sea auténtico, es decir que cada miembro mantenga su autenticidad, esa esencia, estilo y puedan ser ellos mismos al momento de aportar, evitando juzgar sus opiniones y al contrario se genere un ambiente de confianza y respeto.