The social season is just around the corner. Company events, family gatherings, holiday parties, networking mixers, tailgates and more will soon fill our calendars. For some people, that sounds wonderful. For others, it sounds exhausting.

We may wonder whether we’re visible enough, connected enough, or missing opportunities simply because we’re not always in the room. The solution isn’t necessarily returning to the office five days a week.

When you’re no longer consistently present in one place, it can become harder to build relationships, maintain visibility, read the room, and feel like you’re truly part of something.

We walk into a room filled with unfamiliar faces and suddenly forget how to introduce ourselves, join a conversation, or make a graceful exit. We know networking is important, but knowing that doesn’t necessarily make it feel comfortable.

Last summer, I hired an 18-year-old intern to help manage my social media. Three weeks later, she sent me a text asking for a raise because she needed money to pay for car insurance. I was stunned.

We’re living through what I call a connection deficit, and most of us aren’t even aware it’s happening. We’re always engaged in something; either scrolling, multitasking, or half-listening while checking our phones.

Here’s what I’ve learned after decades of interviewing professionals across myriad industries: the real magic doesn’t happen at the event; it happens after it.

According to research, approximately 40-50% of participants keep their cameras off during a virtual meeting. That’s shocking to me. In some organizations, particularly those with younger team members, that number climbs even higher.