I did my first in person teaching for six months last week, and wow, it felt SO GOOD to be back in the lecture theatre.
I was teaching business communications for the University of Cambridge Judge Business School, and, as ever, was fortunate to have a terrific group of highly talented entrepreneurs to work with.
As you can see from the picture, social distancing and Covid security was very much in place.
But it wasn't that which stayed with me - it was the very different impact the session made because, at last, we were all together.
A step back here, to one of the most powerful memories from my early days of teaching to illustrate the point.
I was taking a day long course in novel writing and noticed something interesting about one of the group.
I always set lots of exercises, as that's the only way to really learn, and for the first hour's session...
Each time I asked for answers, she caught my eye, but quickly looked away. And she never once spoke out.
So, in the next session, I looked over her shoulder during one of the exercises and told her it was an excellent answer which she should share.
She was hesitant, but did so. The reaction from the rest of the group was great.
And from that moment, she was offering answers to every exercise.
At the end of the day she took me aside to thank me, said how much she'd learnt, grown in confidence, and now was determined to write her novel.
The post script is that she was published, and now has several follow-up books in print as well.
The point being, if that was online I would never have been able to read her so effectively, gently push her to contribute and so to grow.
It was exactly the same this week. There are always some people more willing to contribute than others.
But in only an hour, I was able to pick up those who were just as able, only a little more shy...
And soon they were contributing too.
I completely understand that not every interaction is worth a drive, or train, or even plane trip - there's our health, our time, the environment and other factors to consider.
But! In my view it's a basic fact of human existence.
Whether it's a business meeting, an interview, a lecture or whatever...
True communication, interaction, and inspiration only come of being together.