As I was on a video call today, it dawned on me that we’re stuck in the past’s idea of the future.
If you look at futuristic article in a 1950s magazine, it had all the usual trappings: atomic flying cars, smooth bucket seats in living rooms – and video telephone booths.
You know, with a regular handset, and a screen, where you could call your aunt to wish her a happy birthday.
Now that all of my trainings have turned virtual (as they call it) thanks to COVID, I find myself trapped in this 1950s view of the future, stuck in a video telephone booth all day to try and create insights in people who are very far away both geographically and metaphorically.
Nobody reading this will probably be surprised if I tell you that this is very difficult, and quite inferior to my usual in-person style of pacing around the room, creating presence and a sense of community which drives insightful conversations.
But this doesn’t just apply to trainings, but to every aspect of communication – and to my mind, engineering is principally an act of communication.
(Photo by chepté cormani from Pexels)