[lnanek2]

That's actually an advantage in the remote work world, because you can stare at the camera and people will think you are looking them in the eyes. They'll trust you more thinking you are, and if you can't read their face anyway, there's no loss to you due to looking at the camera instead of their face.

[randycupertino]

I've found I trust people less who are staring at the camera, because they are prioritizing building psuedo-webcam empathy over actually looking at and following along with/understanding our shared screen.

I dunno. But at some point you can tell who's faking it. Sort of like someone who read How to Win Friends and Influence People and follows it to the letter- they use your name too often shoehorned into conversations and ask about your dog a little too early and enthusiastically with feigned interest.

Perhaps this is a cynical viewpoint brought on negatively from too many zoom webcam meetings!

[jesselawson]

Randy I think that's a great take. I can tell you put a lot into it, Randy. That's great. Books are great resource for learning--I agree, Randy!

[randycupertino]

I had a coworker who (pretty obviously, mind you) kept a One Note tracker of EVERYONE at the company's dogs, cats, and children. Wouldn't have a meeting with her for another 15 months? She'll ask you how Doja and Steve the chinchilla are doing. When she could get them, she'd also store photos of them. She considered herself a "networking genius."