During 1:1 earlier this week, a report shared a sentiment I’ve heard echoing in various forms: “It feels like we have to put up a performance every time we meet people in person now.” Whether at an offsite, a conference, or a large team gathering, there’s a heightened sense of needing to be “on.”

Pre-COVID, there was a certain casual ease to in-person interactions. Now, after years of remote work and carefully curated digital personas, stepping into a physical room can feel like an event. We’re all perhaps a little out of practice with the spontaneous, unscripted nuances of face-to-face connection. For EMs, this pressure is amplified. We’re expected to be present, engaging, inspiring, and approachable, all while internally processing a hundred different things. We’re managing team dynamics, stakeholder expectations, and often, our own anxieties about re-establishing those in-person connections.

This isn’t a complaint; it’s just the reality. Our role is to provide clarity amidst the chaos, to foster psychological safety in a world that often demands a front, and to guide our teams through a landscape of infinite possibilities.

The key, perhaps, lies in intentionality. When faced with option anxiety, we need to define our constraints, prioritize ruthlessly, and empower our teams to make reversible decisions. When confronting the pressure to ‘perform,’ we need to remember that authenticity often trumps perfection, and genuine connection is built on vulnerability, not just polished presentation.

What are your thoughts on navigating this EM maze?