As an introvert, I will admit that as things started shutting down because of Covid-19 in March 2020, I wasn’t sad. I was actually kind of excited. I was excited to just hunker down with my wife and 5 kids and not have to worry about social events (with the exception of having tickets to Dear Evan Hansen that got cancelled and not being able to go on our trip to Costa Rica that was planned 9 months earlier). I’m usually terribly uncomfortable in social situations and to have an excuse not to interact in that way was actually kind of nice. Back in March, it was expected that this would last a couple of weeks. Just a little break and then things would get back to normal. Little did we know that it would continue for several months with no real end in sight.
The way we connect with people has changed. Just a few months ago, we would use business lunches, trade shows, and company parties to get to know each other. But the hearty handshake and one-on-one conversations have been replaced by a digital wave from a video chat. In some ways, that’s perfectly fine. Sometimes it can actually be more productive to meet in this way. But in other ways, I’m starting to miss the physical aspect of things. For example, my 14 year old son just started running cross country with the High School team last week. He is going to be a freshman this year and I am super excited for him. I showed up on his first day of practice with the team to introduce myself to the coach and out of habit, I stuck out my hand for a handshake. It was the most awkward exchange I’ve had in a long time. He quickly stuck out his elbow for an elbow bump with an explanation that we’re still in a pandemic. I felt so dumb for extending a simple jesture of introduction that would have been completely normal 4 months ago but oh so taboo today.
So, I’ve been asking myself, how can I physically connect with someone in a socially distant world? I’ve always tried to be a thoughtful gift giver, but this year with the pandemic, I’ve really tried to step up my gift giving game. I have found that a thoughtful gift that is sent to a customer, an employee, or a family member has more impact right now than ever before. Because people long for a physical connection, a thoughtful physical gift seems to fill a void that people are longing for. Is it as good as a hearty handshake or a warm embrace? No. But until those are again permissible by the CDC, a thoughtful gift will make an impression that will last longer than your toilet paper stash.