Over the past month, with December being a slower month, I put more effort into meeting people in person.
This ranged from going to meetups, driving out to see friends with kids, doing a road trip to see a friend in a different city, or taking a ferry to meet someone new.
I realized that after you spend a few hours, or a couple of days, with someone in person, the relationship and rapport you build is unparalleled compared to anything done remotely. Texting, calling, or video chat do not come close.
But I also realized there is a pretty long half-life after meeting with someone. It creates much less friction for quick 10–20 minute ad hoc calls, whether for a catch-up or a discussion.
You can’t build relationships remotely, but you can maintain them, for a bit. Even when you do maintain them, they still have a half-life.
This is why the remote vs in-office debate is so interesting. An offsite once a quarter goes a long way, but after about 6 to 12 months, those relationships start to fade.
When you’re in person day to day, even though it has other pros like intensity and energy, it isn’t needed as much for maintaining personal relationships.