By Patrina Pellett, PhD (Follow me on LinkedIn)

It's hard not to be distracted in meetings. Whether it's in-person, virtual, or at a congress there is always some kind of notification coming at us. It's underappreciated how much it negatively impacts your ability to connect with others.

In the world of Medical Affairs, relationships are everything. This is true at all levels, from aspiring MSLs trying to break into the role, MSLs trying to build a relationship with a KOL, to a Medical leader meeting with his/her team. How present you are in meetings dictates how well you can connect with others.

A way to stick out and build authentic connections is by actually being present. When you're truly present, others feel heard and valued, which builds trust and rapport. But it goes beyond relationship building, it also helps you grasp the other person's perspective, potentially gather great insights, build empathy, and be more productive. Keep reading to learn more about the impact not being present has on relationship building and ways to incorporate mindfulness in meetings to connect better with others.

How Not Being Present Impacts Relationship Building

In my first corporate job, I had this amazing boss. She was such a great manager and I really valued being around her. We were a field team so my interactions with her were limited. She would occasionally join us on field visits to meet customers and get face time with the team.

On one visit, during a dinner conversation, she pulled out her phone to do something. The conversation became awkward because she was clearly distracted. Her phone had the enlarged font because she was farsighted and I saw that she was on Facebook! I was devastated by this. It felt like she didn't value our time together and after that, I pulled back a little bit. It had a huge impact because that was 10 years ago and I still remember it clear as day!

This story illustrates the impact not being present has on a person's ability to connect with others. Don't do this to your KOL, team members, or anyone else. It impacts your relationship in so many ways:

• It feels bad
• Hinders communication through miscommunications and inadequate responses
• Feels impersonal
• Decreases collaboration
• Misses opportunities to connect on a deeper level
• Diminishes trust

What else would you add to this list?

Mindfulness in Meetings: Be Present And Connect Better With Others

Here are some ways to be more mindful and present during your meetings to connect with others on a deeper level.

Get rid of distractions

Commit to being present in the meeting and turning off other activities.- No matter how badly you want to, do not check your phone. Do not do something else. No checking email, phone, or your watch. Be 100% present in the meeting!

I really struggle with this. I noticed my brain getting all itchy to check my phone or email and I have to work really hard to resist. I think about how I want to give the other people in the meeting the gift of my attention. Here are some smartphone habits I implemented that have helped me create better boundaries and resist the temptations of technology!

If you can't seem to beat distrations, check out this article on what to do if you are easily distracted for more tips.

Make the meeting shorter

Attention spans are short. Instead of trying to fight it, make the meeting shorter. It's a win-win because everyone likes shorter meetings anyway!

Train Your Brain

Try starting a meditation practice to train your brain to be present and control your focus. Successful meditation means noticing when your brain is distracted by a thought and then bringing it back to the present moment. Meditation trains your brain to refocus and then you become better at it in real life.

Both Tom and I have regular meditation practices and have noticed huge improvements in our abilities to focus. But that's not the coolest part. We both have different approaches to meditation but still get huge benefits. Read more about our practices in our article on being more strategic by investing in yourself. 

What would you add to this list? What has worked well for you? Reach out to me on LinkedIn to let me know or comment on the MSL Mastery LinkedIn page.

Conclusions: Mindfulness in Meetings Be Present And Connect Better With Others

Make relationships better by actually being present. Be that person that doesn't get on his/her phone in the meeting. Be the person that pays attention the whole time. Be that person that makes others feel valued and like you are genuinely interested.