From Ingrid Segota, ACC Australia Executive Director
When the pandemic struck, I was grateful to be living at a time where the online world exists for business connectivity. Using all the digital technologies available to us, ACC Australia was quick to establish new ways of working. We remained constantly connected with our employees and we maintained our high level of service to our Australian members.
Over the past year, we have conducted well over sixty online events, ranging from professional development and networking events to our large scale five-day In-house Legal Virtual Conference. These online events have been a huge success which inevitably raises the question about the value of face-to-face events.
Fast professional outcomes
It’s clear to me that when ACC Australia members come together there is a powerful unification. Discussions over coffee breaks and dialogue in roundtables reveal common areas of concern as well as collaborative ideas on how to enact change in their organisations. Many strong and successful relationships have been established at our face-to-face events and, I believe, they have resulted in faster professional outcomes due to these face-to-face meetings.
Read non-verbal cues
Think about Albert Mehrabian’s 7-38-55 communication model that says only 7% of communication is through the words we use, while 38% is through tone and voice and the remaining 55% of communication is through our body language and facial expressions. Face to face interactions is where we are more successful at interpreting all areas of communication.
Free from ‘off screen’ distractions
While online networking is convenient, there is no denying the effectiveness of talking with someone face to face. Attending face-to-face events makes it easier to focus on the material being presented and discussed and frees you from possible off-screen distractions.
Brainstorming and better productivity
Online conferencing may not be ideal for group discussions. The larger the group, the harder it is to see everyone’s facial expressions on the screen and if someone speaks over another, they are often muted by the technology platform, leading to less collaboration. When facilitating face-to-face events, I have witnessed on many occasions how the energy in the room can spur on innovation, leading the event to higher creativity and collaboration. If you are thinking about or are developing a new project with a fellow in-house lawyer, meeting face to face can make a huge difference to the working relationship.
The upcoming In-House Counsel Days, hosted in Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria are our association’s largest one-day conferences and it will offer you the opportunity to meet face-to-face with your in-house peers. You can use the morning tea and lunchtime breaks to expand your networks and we are hosting three roundtables for specific career stages: Chief Legal Officers, Sole Legal Counsel and New to In-House.
ACC Australia is committed to the health and safety of our members, event attendees, volunteers and staff and as such, all necessary precautions will be taken to minimise any risks. We are introducing several new measures in 2021 to ensure that our events are as safe as possible while still providing the great opportunity to be together, all in the same room.
For more information on the In-House Counsel Days click below.