I consider myself an eternal student and humble enough to admit my imperfections and mistakes. Which is why I am deliberate about not positioning myself as an expert in anything specific and I also politely decline and try to guard against anyone else placing an ‘expert’ label on me. Having said that, I do acknowledge the huge amount of practical experience, skills and knowledge that I have gained in the virtual workplace - leading global programmes remotely over the last two decades – much of which entailed connecting with people, building rapport and collaborating across time zones way before the awesome video technology and virtual collaborative tools we have today.
Who knew COVID-19 would hit the globe catapulting many people into distributed remote work, literally overnight? I spent more than a decade trying to sell the benefits of the virtual workplace and remote collaboration in a time when office workers found themselves challenged by some of the same issues they are facing today. What is interesting is that many office workers were working remotely anyway, just on different floors or in different office buildings. The only difference being, that they could, and sometimes had to, meet in person, which is not an option for everyone today and even if it is, it is very different to what it was like pre-COVID-19. Relationships are at the heart of collaboration. What might have been challenging in the same space might seem even more challenging virtually. This is why it is key to turn toward relationships while still remaining focused on task and results. Here I share with you 6 of the many lessons I have learned in the world of collaboration, regardless of virtual, on site or a blend. If these lessons resonate, they can be applied personally or professionally to any relationship or collaborative effort.
Collaboration on site in office spaces was challenging enough for many people before COVID-19, now, it’s even more so and people are turning their focus to finding new ways to connect, communicate and collaborate with each other while navigating what it means to be a member of and also lead distributed teams. Connect EQ is focused on cultivating healthy relationships with self and other (people, work, technology, change and any interconnection that we as humans may have). If you have a team, or work in an organisation where you would love to co-create an energised and collaborative culture, online, on site or blended, where people and performance thrive, schedule a virtual coffee so we can chat. If anything you have read resonates, or not, I would love to hear your thoughts. Please connect at colleen@connect-eq.com or set up a conversation.
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AuthorColleen is passionate about enabling healthy relationships, virtually, anywhere. ArchivesCategories |