When is it worth it to fly halfway across the state for a Saturday meeting? Up at 3:45am, driving before the sun has even begun to think about peeking over the horizon, at the airport waiting for a flight before my regular wake up time.
Arriving well before the meeting time–because airlines work on their schedules, not yours. Searching for coffee on a sleepy college campus, a futile exercise on a Saturday morning.
(Luckily a Philz was right off campus…a pour over experience to fuel the day to come.)
When is it worth it to meet face-to-face? Our hunch was right. We needed to be human, to be real, to not only see and hear one another, but to feel each other too. We were in need of an opportunity for a shared experience AND spaces for those small, informal conversations that build relationships and enhance the more public and formal interactions.
A network is a network when we are connected. Today’s long day that spanned hundreds of miles of travel for our group was definitely worth it.
I’m filled with information, inspiration, and hope…for the network, for the work, for the future. And I feel the warmth and comfort of relationships reinforced, bonds renewed, and the tingle that will lead to growth and new ideas.
And the cherry on the top? I was able to change to the earlier flight home!
Thinking Through My Lens 
Long day but gotta love Philz! We fly out from the East coast to see our son and daughter in law and get coffee at Philz!
where were you? When a bunch of us met in SF for a PIO meeting, we figured just about everything out over dunner the first night! Face to face was everything!
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San Jose for a CWP meeting.
What a great day you had! Even better that you caught an earlier flight home.
I agree that face to face is sometimes a necessity. We try zoom, google hangouts etc. but nothing compares to the productivity in a group meet up.
I think you’re right, we underestimate the power of a face-to-face meeting…and the power of coffee. Curious about this Philz. I’m from Philly, we don’t have that here.
Philz is all about brewed coffee rather than espresso drinks–different than the usual coffee shops. If you get a chance, try it out. And somedays, like on Saturday, it’s the only choice available!
Love this line, “A network is a network when we are connected.” The photos were vivid and added to the story.
I love the addition of photos. It made me feel as if I were an armchair traveler. And yes, meeting face to face is so important.
How awesome would it be for a CLmooc f2f ! I find that when I meet f2f, there’s a bit of a relief and this same acknowledgment as you’ve made: Yes! f2f is important and validating for the reality of all that is done in the network! Glad you captured that! ~ Sheri
I’m a big believer in face to face- it’s the only way to build relationships and empathy.