COVID-19’s Lasting Impact on EO, YPO, and Other Peer Organization Forums
Life is full of distractions. Even the most eager and dedicated Forums are sometimes hindered by the “noise” created by the world outside of a meeting or retreat. If your group isn’t always entirely focused and present, you might be struggling with one of the most common Forum disruptors: multiple Zones of Presence.
When members’ attention is divided between the Forum and their own personal or professional responsibilities, it detracts from the overall Forum experience. They’re not able to add the value they normally do, which decreases the overall takeaway value for the entire group. The good news is that by understanding what Zones of Presence are and fostering communication when someone’s attention needs to be divided, you and your Forum can overcome them and create the most impactful Forum experience possible.
What is a Zone of Presence?
A Zone of Presence is anything that takes up mental space. The more zones occupy your mind, the more your attention is divided. Thus, the less you’re able to focus on a single task, a single person, a single conversation, or a single experience like your Forum meeting or retreat. Think of your mind’s focus as a pie chart: the more it’s divided up, the less attentive and productive you’ll be. When you’re fully focused on one single item, you’ll be able to better understand a task you’re working on and build deeper relationships with the people who want to speak with you.
There are many different Zones of Presence. Although you might not always consciously realize they’re dividing your attention, they’re often lurking in the background, waiting to divide your attention.
Examples of Different Zones of Presence
A Zone of Presence doesn’t have to be negative, or even intentional. It could be something as simple and joyful as “vacation brain”: you’re looking forward to taking some time off away from the office to go on an exciting trip with your family or friends, but that excitement can detract from your productivity at work in the days leading up to your vacation.
Here are a few of the most common Zones of Presence that many people experience on a daily basis:
- Multiple people talking to you at once
- Alerts, reminders, emails, and other notifications that provide visual and audible alerts on your computer
- Working with the TV or radio playing in the background
- Multiple screens during a virtual meeting that let you work on another project when you’re supposed to be focusing on what the other invitees are saying
- Watching TV while scrolling on your phone
- Having dinner at a loud restaurant with a lot of ambient noise
- Billboard advertisements you see when driving your car
Some Zones of Presence are more serious, and hopefully less common. For example, if a loved one is ill, you’re waiting on test results from your doctor, or you’ve experienced a personal tragedy, you likely won’t be able to fully focus on your work. These are life disruptors, and for Forum members, they’re Forum disruptors, too.
Why Zones of Presence are Forum Disruptors
The healthiest Forums provide a sanctuary for the members. Meetings and retreats are venues where members can be open, honest, and vulnerable—but they require each member’s full attention to be successful and foster deep, meaningful topical roundtables and discussions. When a Forum member’s focus is divided into multiple Zones of Presence, they won’t be able to provide or receive the maximum takeaway value.
Fortunately, there are ways your Forum can prevent Zones of Presence from disrupting your meetings and annual retreat.
How to Prevent Zones of Presence from Disrupting Your Forum Meetings
It’s no secret that Forum members tend to be busy people with hectic schedules, professional pressures, and a lot of different Zones of Presence. However, since the Forum is one of the most important groups in their lives, it’s important to take steps to prevent these distractions from becoming too disruptive.
Fortunately, there are a few steps that you and your Forum mates can take to prevent Zones of Presence from becoming a Forum disruptor.
Consider the Message You’re Sending When You’re in Multiple Zones of Presence
You send a message when your attention is divided into different Zones of Presence—and it’s probably not the message you want to send. When you shift to another Zone of Presence without warning or explanation, you might make the rest of the Forum feel unimportant or diminished. This can damage the trusting and vulnerable dynamic that the group has worked so hard to build.
If you absolutely must have a Zone of Presence in addition to the agenda and your fellow members during the Forum meeting or retreat, be sure to explain it to your Forum mates so they understand that your mind may be elsewhere. Some Forums perform a self-awareness exercise throughout their retreat so members can check in with each other and themselves, which provides a healthy venue to discuss multiple Zones of Presence. Proactive communication can prevent your distractions from disrupting the synergy the group has created while at the same time showing the rest of the group that you’re fully dedicated to them, even if your attention sometimes drifts elsewhere.
Lose the Electronics
Most people have multiple devices with them at all times: cell phones, smart watches, tablets, laptops, etc. These electronics are often tied to Forum members’ professional and personal accounts, which means there could be a constant stream of business emails, calls, or texts from family and friends.
Research has shown that having your cell phone nearby is distracting, and that’s one of the reasons many Forums choose to limit the use of (or ban altogether) phones and other electronics from meetings and retreats. Here are a few ways your Forum might remove these devices from your members’ Zones of Presence:
- Get a phone charging station so everyone can turn their phones off and plug them in during the Forum get-together.
- Ask Forum members with smartwatches to take them off during their time with the group.
- Designate one Forum member to leave their cell phone on and act as the “emergency contact” for the rest of the group’s office, family, and friends during a meeting or retreat.
- Restrict electronic use except on scheduled breaks.
This “no electronics” rule works for a lot of Forums—but as with so many rules, there are some exceptions, in which case a “common sense” rule may be helpful.
Implement the Common Sense Rule
Sometimes, having multiple Zones of Presence is inevitable. If a Forum member is concerned and distracted by a personal issue, they can inform the rest of the group that they might need to keep their phone or smartwatch accessible.
For instance, if a member has a loved one undergoing surgery in the hospital, the Forum will no doubt understand the need for that member to have a device with them during the meeting or retreat. There aren’t many circumstances in Forum members’ minds that are more important than the group dynamic, but particularly when it comes to personal distractions, Forums can always institute a “common sense” rule and support their Forum mate.
Align the Forum’s Expectations
Each unique Forum will have its own rules on how to address the members’ Zones of Presence. For example, some Forums might start each meeting with an icebreaker designed to help members keep their minds and attention focused on the meeting or retreat. Other groups might allow members to take notes on a tablet instead of using pen and paper.
It’s crucial that your Forum holds a candid discussion about Zones of Presence and that all members agree with and buy into the group’s decision. It’s also a best practice to incorporate this information into your norms or constitution to ensure alignment and help successfully onboard a new Forum member.
ForumSherpa Can Help Your Forum Remove Zones of Presence for a More Impactful Forum Experience!
Everyone’s mind can occasionally be divided into multiple Zones of Presence. After all, we’re only human, and we’re all familiar with the expression “life happens”. The important thing is to prevent your different zones from becoming a Forum disruptor—and we can help.
Our innovative programs and resources have been developed by experienced Forum members, renowned Moderators, and certified retreat facilitators over decades. Schedule a consultation with us today to learn how we can help realign your Forum and improve member focus to provide the entire group with the maximum takeaway value from every meeting and retreat!
Written by Britt Spread