How’s your energy today?

Hello, hello,

We are halfway through September, and I still feel like I’m landing from the summer holidays. Anyone else?

My landing has been bumpy. A broken laptop, small mishaps, head colds, and generally not feeling like my usual self. Which meant a couple of weeks of running behind, doing the bare essentials, and letting the rest slide.

It made me pause: how honestly do I show up to my clients? Where’s the line between sharing openly to set priorities and sharing in a way that sounds like excuses? How human can we really be in our work?

And honestly, the question that saved me most during this time was:
“How’s your energy today?”

I ask it anyway at the start of every call. Every time, there’s a pause before the response. And then, usually, a very honest answer gives a glimpse of where that person really is in the moment. And it invites me to share the same in return. A short moment of connection that bonds us as humans.

That question and the kind of openness it creates connect to what I heard in the Remote Culture Survey this summer. 141 people responded, sharing what helps (and hinders) connection across remote and hybrid teams.

A few clear themes stood out:

• People crave more intentional connection. Not just another Zoom call, but space carved out to relate as humans.

• In-person moments still matter. Even once or twice a year, they strengthen everything else.

• Better meeting design is needed. Too many meetings are rushed, reporting-heavy, or poorly facilitated.

• Information is siloed. Teams want easier ways to share, align on goals, and avoid duplication.

• Leaders set the tone. When leaders make space for connection, people feel permission to prioritise it.

So, what can we actually do to bring a little more humanity into our workdays? Here are some micro and macro shifts I’ve been experimenting with:

Micro-shifts (the everyday tweaks)

1. Swap the default “How are you?” in calls for “How’s your energy today?”

2. Invite people to rename themselves in Slack or Zoom with a cue about their current state e.g. “Perle — open for quick social chats”.

3. Make space in meetings for connection before content: a 2-minute check-in, a playful poll, or a quick pair share in breakouts.

Macro-shifts (the bigger structural moves)

1. Use a tool like Manual of Me to help your team express their preferences, quirks, and needs.

2. Build intentional rituals into your team’s rhythm, whether that’s a monthly “show & tell,” quarterly cross-team meetups, or facilitated workshops focused on connection.

3. Resource connection properly: travel budgets, time carved out for team building, upskill members of your team with facilitation skills, and leaders modeling participation.

None of these are revolutionary, but they remind us that connection doesn’t happen by accident. In remote and hybrid setups, we have to design for it.

How do you help your teams connect? I’d love to hear…

Curiously connecting,

Always,
Perle

P.S. I recently opened up my calendar for drop-in facilitation coaching sessions. These are relaxed but focused 1:1 calls on Friday mornings, designed for facilitators, moderators, or leaders who want to build confidence, get practical ideas for designing workshops and gatherings, or refine their own way of showing up in the room.