Learning how to achieve a high level of comfort and productivity in a virtual landscape takes
time and practice. Here are a few general things to get you started on the road to improving your virtual experience.
Do more
Say thank you - acknowledge effort and reward success
Socialize - keep your team bond strong
Communicate - ask questions, listen to others, call your team mates to discuss work socially, keep it simple, give status updates, ask what others are doing
Pick up the phone - intonation often adds clarity; hearing a voice reminds you you're not alone (team building)
Share your thoughts and reactions - normally we share these things through body language, now you need to consciously share them
Ask for clarification if you aren't 100% sure
Follow through and do what you say you're going to do when you're going to do it
Acknowledge communications even if it's to say "I can't get to this until Friday"
Be consistent - communications, behaviours, information sharing, etc.
Cut yourself some slack - the world just changed…everywhere! You’re allowed some adjustment time
Do less
Make assumptions - these are the path to miscommunication and misunderstanding
Wait to speak up - you no longer have body language to convey your message
Work in a silo - it's easy to feel isolated
Long winded emails - short and simple gets more action
Review these at the end of each day or each week and ask yourself how you can implement them to better effect in the coming days.
Coming Soon - Leaders how-to: virtual edition
Check out my previous posts in this series:
I help people be better at their virtual work. Tell me what I can do for you.
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