Connection is the Key

Connection. It’s something we all want, something we all need. And yet when it comes to research, sometimes it's the thing we struggle with the most. I’m reminded of this as I start doing more in-person research after years of virtual work due to Covid, and in some recent cases working with clients who haven’t done in-person research at all. 

Photo by Taylor Smith on Unsplash

In briefing clients about the empathic approach we take to qualitative research here at SEEK and fielding their questions about why we do certain things, like taking the time to first foster a connection with the respondent before jumping directly into their research questions, I can’t help but think about how I was initially trained not only as a researcher but as a journalist.

I was taught to always be detached, embodying this distant, impartial entity that was just there to get the story and that was something I always struggled with. People are sharing their lives, both the good and the bad, the funny and the heartbreaking, and as someone who believes everyone has a story worth telling, how can I not let this person know that I see them? When we make the effort to connect with our respondents, we’re building that bridge to ask the difficult questions later. We’re showing them that we mean it when we say that we’re there to learn from them and that this is their time.

Things changed for me as I later connected with people who shared my views, in my grad school program and then later here at SEEK, that understanding and connecting with the respondent are first and foremost the keys to getting the insights our clients want. Building trust and sharing a part of yourself when asking the respondent to bare it all are things that should be embraced, not avoided or shortchanged. Because I’m more interested in having a conversation with someone who is truly in the moment with me; aren’t you?

It’s okay to “get out from behind the glass” and interact with your respondents. Introduce both yourself and your clients as members of your team. Be open to finding that nugget of truth that both you and the respondent share and build a rapport from that. Have a laugh and even shed a tear if you’re in the trenches of a deeply personal subject. I’ve experienced the moment when respondents let down those walls and truly open up -because I took the time- and the insights that are revealed are so deeply personal and true that clients have completely shifted their points of view or finally understood a core truth about their audience that had alluded them. Taking the time to connect is worth it and leads to both alignment and meaningful innovation.

What are your thoughts on fostering trust and connecting with your respondents? Share your thoughts and tips with me at Dominique@seekcompany.com.