Michael Lopp on What We Lost in the switch to virtual meetings.

Do you want to know why you’re fatigued at the end of a long day of video conferences? It’s because your brain has been straining to collect essential information that is no longer there.

I agree with most of his thoughts - especially that it's definitely not Princess Leia in Rogue One - but I want to push back a bit based only on my experiences with meetings, virtual or otherwise.

Many of the people I hear lamenting virtual meetings in my world are people who typical get to run the in person meetings and during the pandemic have had to learn new communication skills - or have refused to learn new skills. People who didn't read the room or pay attention to how others felt in meetings now can't just dominate a virtual meeting like they used to be able to in an in person meeting.

Anecdotally, people who aren't great online communicators (email, Slack / Teams / Discord, Messages) haven't adapted well to virtual meetings. And so, I would imagine it's more exhausting to have a virtual meeting.

I think the sooner we agree that virtual meetings are not a repalcement for an in person meeting, the better we'll all be. It's just another option and method for communication. And virtual meetings will be better for some, and worse for others. Just like in person meetings are better for some, and worse for others.

Aside: This post could've been a tweet. :)