Lisette Sutherland, & Kirsten Janene-Nelson. (2020). Work Together Anywhere : A Handbook on Working Remotely -Successfully- for Individuals, Teams, and Managers. Wiley. Hoory, Leeron.(2023). The State of Workplace Communication in 2023. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/digital-communication-workplace/ on October 13, 2023. Smith, Amy and Bottorff, Cassie.(2023) 10 Best Call Center Software (2023) Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/best-call-center-software/ on October 18, 2023 Peek, Sean. (2023) 9 Most Effective Apps for Internal Communication. Retrieved from: https://www.business.com/articles/9-most-effective-apps-for-internal-communication/ on October 18, 2023 PART II Copyright 2020. Wiley. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except fair uses permitted under U.S. or applicable copyright law. INDIVIDUALS WORKING REMOTELY “Rather than climbing the corporate ladder for the corner office, I just built one myself.” —J esse F ewell, speaker, coach, and author 1 As stated elsewhere in this book, the key to making a success of remote working is finding your optimal combination of skill set, tool set, and mind set. Of course, some details will be dictated by your position or industry— but there is a great deal that applies to nearly all situations, especially concerning the attitude with which you approach your work. Chapter 3 lays out what you’d need to get started: fundamental skills and practices as well as physical components like workspace and equipment. These are items that you’d set up, master, and progress from. Chapter 4 addresses what to constantly work at to perfect your game. There you can learn how to deliver what your employer needs (think motivation and productivity), how to tend to your own needs (such as not overworking), and how to be a great team player. If your getting-started plan includes gauging whether you’re suited for the remote route, you’ll find guidance throughout Part II, starting with the Deciding for Yourself section in chapter 3. In the Part II extras an extensive questionnaire can help you determine if you’re ready to work remotely— as well as what to do next if you’re not. Those ready to continue can check out “Convincing Your Boss (or Team)” and “Seeking Remote Employment.” Despite all the detail, what it really comes down to is very simple: to succeed at working remotely, you have to want to succeed. If you can apply that determination to the guidelines that follow, you’ll proceed swimmingly. 67 EBSCO Publishing : eBook Collection (EBSCOhost) - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY AN: 2493023 ; Lisette Sutherland, Kirsten Janene-Nelson.; Work Together Anywhere : A Handbook on Working Remotely -Successfully- for Individuals, Teams, and Managers Account: strayer.main.eds-live WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 67 5/13/2020 12:46:18 AM EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 68 5/13/2020 12:46:18 AM CHAPTER 3 Remote Working 101: Getting Started “Remote workers aren’t trying to escape doing work. We’re trying to escape the day-prison. We want to use technology to make better use of our time. We want to spend more time doing things that matter to us, and less time stuck in traffic.” —L isette S utherland, “Work Together Anywhere,” TEDx talk for Theme: Unbox the Future 1 If you’re already a remote-working member of an established team, then you’ll probably want to jump to chapter 4 for tips on perfecting your game. If you’re definitely going remote and ready to get going, then skip ahead to the Getting Set Up portion ( p. 72) in the next section. For those just considering going remote, keep reading—all of what follows is pertinent to you. Pre-Remote: Deciding for Yourself “When my role is to be a virtual team member, I need to be selfmotivated, focused, curious, flexible, and, above all, collaborative.” —M eghan M . B iro, “Telecommuting Is the Future of Work,” Forbes 2 Part of the decision about going remote—whether it’s you who is unsure or you’re worried your boss will be (if you have a boss, that is)—concerns both temperament and skill set. We’ll cover how to convince your boss later 69 EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 69 5/13/2020 12:46:18 AM 70 | PART II. I N D I V I D UAL S WO R K I N G R EM OT ELY on. For now, let’s spend some time thinking about what it takes to work remotely successfully. Even if you’re fully convinced this is the path you want to take—or you feel it’s your only option—try to approach the following with an open mind. You’d be much better off identifying now what temperament and skill sets you could improve upon before you’re actually in the at-home hot seat. The following sidebar lists the top traits that make for a successful remote worker. Top Remote-Worker Traits The best remote workers: • are tech-savvy (both their skill set and their equipment); • are excellent communicators; • have good work habits: they’re organized, and they prioritize and manage time effectively; • are good at problem-solving/troubleshooting; • have previous experience working remotely; • are proactive: they’re independent/self-starters; • have team-focused work ethics: they’re reliable, results-oriented, and highly responsive; and • are good team players: they’re pleasant, collaborative, supportive, and receptive to feedback. EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 70 5/13/2020 12:46:18 AM 3. R emote Working 101: G etting S tarted | 71 successful remote workers are tech-savvy, not techaverse. This doesn’t mean you need to know how to replace your motherboard or hack your registry file. It does mean you’re not intimidated by the prospect of figuring out why your audio isn’t working on a Skype call—as well as that you know where to turn if your registry file gets hacked. successful remote workers are excellent communicators, especially with written communication. HR consultant Dirk-Jan Padmos points out that “remote working can amplify bad communication,”3 so you’d want to be diligent about how well you phrase what you need to say. Another angle to this is willingness. As is emphasized throughout this book, with remote work overcommunicating isn’t just preferable to undercommunicating—it’s actually ideal. As Intridea/Mobomo’s Kathryn Ottinger puts it: “If you think you’re overcommunicating, you’re doing it right.”4 successful remote workers have good work habits. In particular they’re organized, they’re able to prioritize, and they manage their time effectively. successful remote workers are able to problem-solve and troubleshoot on their own—and they know when and where to turn if they need extra help. Employers seek remote workers who are proactive/independent/self-starters. Translating from the HR cheat sheet, that means successful remote workers are both self-motivated and self-sufficient. As Agile trainer, coach, and advisor Ben Linders puts it: “It takes discipline to do your work when there’s nobody there telling you what to do.”5 successful remote workers have “team-focused” work ethics. That means they are reliable, results-oriented, and highly responsive. (Note that such traits are as applicable to the solopreneur as to the team member.) Since this is such a potent aspect of remote working, these traits are covered extensively throughout the book under different terms and t­opics, EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 71 5/13/2020 12:46:18 AM 72 | PART II. I N D I V I D UAL S WO R K I N G R EM OT ELY such as building trust (by demonstrating reliability), productivity (producing results)—even transparency (also referred to as “working out loud”). And successful remote workers are good team players. That means they’re pleasant, collaborative, supportive, and receptive to feedback. It also means they’re willing to follow deliberate processes, as might be determined via a team agreement. (For more on the latter, see chapter 9.) T he above terrain is viewed with a wide lens. The more thorough assessment comes from considering with a sharper focus the various elements that make for successful remote working. To do that, closely read both the Ready, Set, Remote section to follow and the entirety of the subsequent chapter on perfecting your game. Along the way, take careful notes regarding where you see yourself in relation to what’s being discussed. After that, the “Are You Ready to Work Remotely?” questionnaire in the Part II extras can help clarify what to work on from there. (And note, the questionnaire would be much less meaningful if you jump to it without first reading through chapter 4.) Ready, Set, Remote: Getting Set Up Getting set up means finalizing where you’ll work, using what equipment and tools, and under what house rules. And since it’s wiser to try out working remotely for a time before you build a free-standing office in your backyard, we’ll cover your tech needs before discussing workspace. ENSURE YOU’RE TECH EQUIPPED AND SAVVY “When I’m on a call with someone, I always ask ‘How’s my sound?’ Through the microphone, through the internet, through the router, through the cloud, and then back again is a lot of hops. There are a lot of chances for error.” —A gile B ill K rebs, coach and founder, Agile Dimensions, LLC 6 When it comes to technology, the advice for individuals is the same as for companies: invest in high-quality equipment. We want crystal-clear, EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 72 5/13/2020 12:46:19 AM 3. R emote Working 101: G etting S tarted | 73 high-bandwidth communication on our remote teams. In order to have that, we need great internet and high-quality accessory tools. The cost of a headset and webcam is a small price to pay for productive conversations. To follow is the minimum setup you’ll need to maintain strong remoteworker relations—after which we’ll elaborate on a few items. • Phone • Computer (desktop or laptop) • Internet access, often via modem and DSL/Wi-Fi/Ethernet • Reliable document storage and back-up system • Webcam capability (built in to most modern laptops and monitors) • Access to phone and email contact info • Access to the files you’ll need to work on • Quiet space for audio calls • Video-friendly setup minimize your background noise. Even with a stellar internet connection, background noise can distract everyone on the call. So just as your on-site teammates don’t want to hear the cappuccino machine at your local café, they also won’t be impressed by your kids squabbling in the background. That means you’ll want to know your quiet-space options before call time approaches. maximize your video presence. Because non-verbal communication is a big part of our interactions, it’s important to turn on the web­ cams whenever possible. That means we have to pay attention to the details of lighting and background. It’s all too easy in video calls to be backlit or, worse, in the shadows—and science has shown that when video lighting is poor, the conversation is less engaging.7 Another concern is background. If the area behind you is messy, or busy with people walking back and forth, it can be a big distraction. So part of having a professional video setup includes ensuring the view behind you doesn’t lessen the conversation; some recommend setting up a screen or room divider for this very purpose. EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 73 5/13/2020 12:46:19 AM 74 | PART II. I N D I V I D UAL S WO R K I N G R EM OT ELY Finally, it’s not enough to be set with high-quality tech; you’ll want to ensure you’re savvy with it too. So take the time to learn how to use your tools. It’s especially important that you’re comfortable with video calls. As coach AgileBill Krebs points out: “There’s another set of skills that includes mastering your video, your voice, and being able to move in a 3-D web environment. If we work with a team, everyone’s got to be comfortable with the technology used.”8 A few extra tips: • Choose a mobile phone plan that suits your needs. For example, you might want to not have to worry about roaming, or how many minutes you’re using. • Get a laptop with great battery life, or keep a separate power bank/ battery pack (or two) fully charged. • Make sure you have access to tech support—as well as a plan B should your tech fail during a critical time. CREATE A PRODUCTIVE WORKSPACE Our workspaces play a big part in how productive we are, so we need to choose wisely—as well as to adapt when necessary. Working from Home According to a number of sources, a majority of remote workers work from home.9 If you’ll be adding yourself to that statistic, there are a few recommendations to keep in mind: • Establish a dedicated workspace that you can turn to at any time. If you have a family, the dining room table is likely not a good option. • Many recommend not using your bedroom if at all possible. Ideally your workspace will be somewhat separate from your living space. There’s a double benefit to this: being in your workspace will encourage you to work when you need to—instead of being distracted by EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 74 5/13/2020 12:46:19 AM 3. R emote Working 101: G etting S tarted | 75 the unmade bed or the overspilling laundry hamper; and your living area will remain a sanctuary—rather than serving as an eternal call to crank out ever more work. • You’ll want to set clear boundaries and expectations with your family or housemates, both in terms of workspace and work hours—and then be firm about maintaining those boundaries. As for your actual setup, of course there is no “one size fits all” optimal office. It can take some time to figure out personal preferences, especially regarding physical setup and ergonomics. I for one love my standing desk; some use an ergonomic kneeling chair. Yves Hanoulle built a home “walking office”: an electronic sit-stand desk combined with a treadmill. He says, “It makes my work time more intentional and helps me move more.” Many recommend tinkering with your space until you get it right. When Jesse Fewell first started working from home, he created an office space in his attic. Since he’s a tall guy, after a while the low ceilings made him feel hunched over. So he set up a space in a corner of his bedroom—but before long he realized he rarely left that room. So he ended up building a small office in his backyard, which suited him (and his family) perfectly. As he phrased it: “Be prepared for the journey. Don’t expect to get things right on the first try. It’s a process of small experiments and iterations.”10 Coworking Spaces Of course, for some working from home is not an (ideal) option. Those in many major metropolitan areas can rent a station at a coworking space, whether that be a seat at a shared table or a private office, for an hour, a day, or a month. Many remote workers enjoy the amenities of coworking spaces—such as access to Wi-Fi and equipment like printers and scanners— as well as the chance to be around others who appreciate the remote option. Hybrid Model/Public Spaces Many find a hybrid model more to their liking—as well as more conducive to certain kinds of tasks. EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 75 5/13/2020 12:46:19 AM 76 | PART II. I N D I V I D UAL S WO R K I N G R EM OT ELY An average day for me is working from my coworking space, which is a couple minutes’ walk from my home in Barcelona. On days where I need it to be quiet or I need to take calls, I work from home. I love that I can choose where I work, whether that’s my coworking space, my home—or even my mom’s kitchen table in California. — V anessa S haw, workplace innovator, Human Side of Tech11 For me, being in a coffee house is an enjoyable experience. I get the energy of people around me. Others might want the peace and quiet of their own home. The nice thing about having an anywhere office is that you can go where you need based on your mood. I’m kind of an introvert by nature and a forced extrovert by habit. And so, depending on the day, I may want to be in my house or I may want to be out in a coffee house. I find having that choice very empowering. — D avid H orowitz, cofounder and CEO, Retrium12 And Some Find an Office Just Works Best My entrepreneur husband tried both working at home and working at a coworking space, and he didn’t like either. At home, he felt lonely, distracted, and bored being in the same place day and night. In coworking spaces, it wasn’t convenient to bring all the equipment he wanted (external monitor, keyboard, and standing desk), and the chairs were uncomfortable. In the end, he rented an office for himself and his colleagues. If renting an entire office would be too much for you, note that some rent an extra room in a functioning office, even one in a different industry. On the Road You don’t have to be a digital nomad to need to know how to work effectively on the road. Adriana Vela, the founder of NanoTecNexus, travels all over the world for her work. Along the way she has honed her ability to work from anywhere with the right tools, planning, and creativity. She shares: EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 76 5/13/2020 12:46:19 AM One of my mantras on the road is “adapt, improvise, ­overcome”: adapt to your environment, improvise, and overcome the limitations. Working while on the go comes down to being disciplined and appreciating change and limitations. Limitations are what make us creative—and it’s creativity that’s going to help you address your challenges. She also offers the following recommendations: • Pack only the essentials. • Keep an extra power cord and batteries in your travel bag. • Label your cords and connectors, especially if you speak at events. • If your laptop doesn’t have a backlit keyboard, get a USB LED light. • Pack single-serve medications or a small first-aid kit. • Print out your itinerary for when Wi-Fi is inaccessible. • Categorize your task list based on where you can do certain activ­ ities, especially concerning Wi-Fi access.13 THINK THROUGH YOUR BUSINESS DETAILS AND FINANCIAL SETUP If you’ll be going remote in your established job or getting hired as a stable employee, your financial setup might not change all that much. But if you’ll be setting up shop as a freelancer for hire, there are many self-employment details to attend to—which are well beyond the scope of this book. Such details could include: • obtaining a business license and the like; • registering a business name; • acquiring health or business insurance; • establishing a separate bank account and/or credit card; • consulting attorneys, business advisors, career counselors, and the like; 77 EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 77 5/13/2020 12:46:19 AM 78 | PART II. I N D I V I D UAL S WO R K I N G R EM OT ELY • tax planning (and perhaps making regular tax payments); • creating contracts and invoices; and • creating/building an online presence. This list just scratches the surface. For more, see the for individuals category ( p. 319) in the Books & Guides portion of “For Further Reading, Listening, and Consultation” in the resources section. Remote Reminders • Successful remote workers are tech-savvy, not tech-averse. • Successful remote workers are excellent communicators. • Successful remote workers have good work habits: in particular they’re organized, they’re able to prioritize, and they manage their time effectively. • Successful remote workers are able to problem-solve and troubleshoot on their own—and they know when and where to turn if they need extra help. • Successful remote workers are self-motivated and self-sufficient. • Successful remote workers have “team-focused” work ethics; that means they are reliable, results-oriented, and highly responsive. • Successful remote workers are good team players; that means they’re pleasant, collaborative, supportive, and receptive to feedback. EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 78 5/13/2020 12:46:19 AM 3. R emote Working 101: G etting S tarted | 79 • Equip yourself with high-quality technology—and be sure you’re savvy using it. • When communicating by voice and/or video, minimize your background noise and maximize your visual presence. • Ensure you have access to a productive workspace, and set clear boundaries with others regarding how you need to use it. • Plan ahead for times when you’ll be working on the road. • Think through the financial or business details of your setup. EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 79 5/13/2020 12:46:19 AM CHAPTER 4 Remote Working 201: Perfecting Your Game “As a remote worker, you have to combine working with getting enough rest. You have to know when you’re procrastinating and then consciously stop. Sometimes it means powering through, and sometimes it means taking a break. You need the self-knowledge to be able to take care of yourself properly.” —M aarten K oopmans, owner, physicist, team lead, and software developer, Vrijhed.net 1 In the above quote, Maarten Koopmans touches on the fundamental task at hand: self-knowledge. In the end, rising to any challenge comes down to knowing what you’re made of—and constantly striving to improve. As for the goal of perfecting your game, working remotely falls under three umbrella headings: how to deliver what your employer needs, how to tend to your own needs, and how to be a team player. How to Deliver What Your Employer Needs Referring back to the top traits of successful remote workers, our watchwords for this section are: motivation, organization, productivity, prioritization, and time management. First up: starting each workday. 80 EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 80 5/13/2020 12:46:19 AM 4 . R emote Working 201: P erfecting Your G ame | 81 MOTIVATION AND SELF-DISCIPLINE “It takes discipline to do your work when there’s nobody there telling you what to do.” —B en L inders, trainer, coach, and advisor 2 There’s a sense of discipline built into an on-site working environment. When working remotely, we have to come up with our own motivation and discipline. Fortunately, the advice on this is pretty unanimous: • Have a set routine in the morning. • Dress like you’re going to work. • Work in a space designated for work. • Set a schedule and stick to it. Information systems engineer and IT consultant Andrea Zabala shares: “Don’t just wake up and jump on your computer. Take a shower and get dressed like you’re leaving the house. This makes it feel like you are about to start something that’s different from domestic life. And just like you would take a break at the office, take a break at home too.”3 Note that this process might call for developing new associations. If you’ve never worked remotely before, your first remote Monday might feel like a three-day weekend. So you’ll want to establish new habits and new ways of perceiving your space. As physicist and software architect Maarten Koopmans puts it: “Cultivate discipline.”4 And don’t worry if it’s hard at first. Give yourself a chance to adapt to your new working situation. Some recommend planning your next day the night before, perhaps organizing your tasks so you can’t help but tend to them first. If your morning head is anything like mine, you’d likely appreciate not having to figure out the first thing you need to do, at least until the caffeine kicks in. EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 81 5/13/2020 12:46:19 AM 82 | PART II. I N D I V I D UAL S WO R K I N G R EM OT ELY PRODUCTIVITY “There is an implicit social convention in an office that is not the most productive. What is productive for you is not productive for me, so the average becomes the least productive for all of us. Remote working is important to me because it allows me to be in control of my own productivity.” —M aarten K oopmans, owner, physicist, team lead, and software developer, Vrijhed.net 5 In the previous chapter we covered how it’s important to choose a workspace where you’ll feel the most able to do your work. For example, my home office is a sanctuary where I’m most comfortable and productive. I have complete control over my tools and environment, which I can curate to allow maximum focus with a minimum of distraction—plus the perks of my standing desk, delicious coffee, and the neighbor cat’s daily visits. Though many are able to multitask reasonably well, the plain fact is that our best work is done when we’re able to focus on just one task at a time. In a study at Stanford University, researchers set out to determine just what makes multitaskers so productive—and concluded the exact opposite. Their finding: multitaskers underperformed in comparison with those who prefer to focus on their task and had the luxury of doing so. The study’s authors identified that the subjects “couldn’t help thinking about the task they weren’t doing” and weren’t “able to filter out what’s not relevant to their current goal.”6 So, what can we do to maximize our focus? Minimize our distractions. One way to do this is to prevent interruptions. For example, we can customize our notification settings for email, phone, apps, etc. So, rather than getting pinged every time someone we know breathes on Facebook, we can turn notifications off for tags, comments on posts, friend requests, group posts, and the like. And as for work email, some opt to always finish their paragraph or line of code before looking to see what arrived, let EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 82 5/13/2020 12:46:19 AM 4 . R emote Working 201: P erfecting Your G ame | 83 alone replying. Some establish in advance with their coworkers that they respond to messages at only, say, the top of the hour, or every half-hour. For those times when you need to focus for a longer stretch, you could announce that you’re working on such-and-such deadline and will check back in three hours’ time. An additional angle on this concerns setting boundaries with our housemates and non-resident loved ones. Though this was said in the previous chapter, it’s worth repeating: you’ll want to set clear boundaries and expectations with your family or housemates, in terms of both workspace and respecting work hours. It can be surprisingly hard to set our own boundaries—and even harder to stick to them. But it’s essential that we determine for ourselves what we need, and then communicate that to those around us. Another tactic is to take full advantage of when you function at optimal capacity. That means knowing when you work best—and then planning accordingly. Prioritization /Task Management /Time Management One aspect of planning—and organization—relevant to productivity is just keeping track of all we have to do. Fortunately, several apps designed to manage even large work projects, such as Trello and Asana, can be commandeered to keep us on top of our personal to-do lists as well. So play around with a few such tools to see how they’d suit you. (Note that many apps offer a fair amount of their functionality for free, and charge only if you seek more premium services; others have a free trial period. Note too that, though Asana can be used for very complicated projects, productivity consultant Paul Minors offers at his blog a demo of why it’s his favorite personal organization tool.7) I mention Trello and Asana in particular because they represent two different approaches to task management. Asana’s main interface uses the more straightforward list, while Trello is based on the more visual system of using “boards” or “cards,” sometimes referred to as “Kanban.” This latter approach was developed because many advocate visualizing your work; some find EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 83 5/13/2020 12:46:19 AM 84 | PART II. I N D I V I D UAL S WO R K I N G R EM OT ELY it makes them more productive. As Personal Kanban creator Jim Benson points out: “Scientists have found that prioritization is the most mentally taxing thing that people do,” in part because we can’t see each thing that needs to be done. But if we make each task visible, we’re better able to determine what should be done and when, or in what order.8 It so happens that Jim’s two rules of Personal Kanban are directly applicable to focus and productivity: • Visualize your work. • Limit your work in progress to just three tasks at a time. Why just three at a time? Because when we’re able to focus on the task at hand, we’re able to not just finish that task, but also to do it well—which pleases ourselves as much as it pleases those we’re doing the work for. Whereas when we’re rushed and harried, we produce work we don’t feel good about, because we know it’s subpar. As Jim says, “That doesn’t prepare you for doing future work, because you’re already disappointed in past work.”9 An additional consideration is the workload we agree to. So that we can fulfill what we promise to, many recommend not taking on more than we can handle. And note: it can take discipline to sometimes say no to requests. But even so, an honest reply of “I couldn’t give it my best until next week” could ultimately be better for everyone—especially if the alternative is submitting mediocre work. Pace Yourself Yet another angle on productivity concerns stamina and mental acuity. Numerous interviewees recommend regulating one’s energy so as to maximize productivity. For many this calls for taking proper breaks. Affymetrix Inc. developer Ed Erwin offers: “My piano is in the same room that I use for my office. When I need a break from work, I can just turn around and play some music for a while. When I need a bigger break, I go for a bike ride in the nearby hills.”10 For some those proper breaks can include taking (power) naps. Blue Spruce Holdings partner Derek Scruggs shares: “It’s important for me to regulate how much energy I have at any given time. Most import- EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 84 5/13/2020 12:46:19 AM 4 . R emote Working 201: P erfecting Your G ame | 85 ant, I need to get enough sleep.”11 (I can attest to that myself. While I used to be able to sort of function on insufficient sleep, today I find I’m a better person when I’m fully rested.) We’ll return to the important topic of energy regulation in the next section. But first, note that some swear they’re most productive when using the Pomodoro Technique, which advocates working in twenty-five-minute focused stints, punctuated by short breaks. (Italian Francesco Cirillo named his approach after his tomato-shaped timer.)12 Of course, the best approach depends on the person and the task, so the point is to simply work at your maximum sustainable pace—and then give your brain a chance to rest. Your Workspace There’s one last item regarding productivity, this time in relation to the physical organization of the home office. The website of home office design consultant Linda Varone points out that “your problems working at home may have less to do with willpower than with the setup of your workspace.” She also notes that “a boring office is just as unproductive as a cluttered office.”13 If you need some help in that department, check out either her site (www. thesmarterhomeoffice.com) or her book, The Smarter Home Office: Simple Steps to Increase Your Income, Inspiration, and Comfort. How to Tend To Your Own Needs Part of the self-knowledge challenge is knowing what we need to sustain in ourselves so as to fulfill our obligations. In this regard, the top caveat cited by my interviewees concerns the high risk of burning out. THE RISKS OF OVERWORKING “I can do almost all of my work anywhere. And I love my job so it’s easy to always work.” —M arion S mits, associate professor of neuroradiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands 14 EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 85 5/13/2020 12:46:20 AM 86 | PART II. I N D I V I D UAL S WO R K I N G R EM OT ELY “Something that typically happens to me in the evening is that I’ ll go into my office to just quickly check something on the computer. And then three hours later, I’m still at my desk.” —Y ves H anoulle, self-employed creative collaboration agent  15 In chapter 5 we note that a vast majority of managers contemplating the remote option fear that workers would slack off when out from the watchful eye of the office. The reality is that remote employees are more likely to overwork than underwork. The more common reason for this is passion and dedication: like Marion Smits quoted above, we’ve chosen work we love, and we love to do it. The trick is knowing how to balance that. As Jeremy Stanton explains: “It can be extra hard to turn off, simply because we don’t want to. If you’re the type of person who enjoys what you do, work could just consume you if you let it.”16 Another reason we might work too much concerns accommodating different time zones. And with that comes the very real danger of never switching off—of working around the clock to serve the immediate needs of colleagues around the globe. WorkAtHomeSuccess.com founder Leslie Truex specifically warns: “Don’t work 24/7. You’ll make yourself crazy.”17 So, in order to maintain our best work, we need to keep a watchful eye on our energy levels. That means stopping and relaxing every once in a while. But more so, Information Systems engineer Andrea Zabala recommends doing the things you always wished you could do when you were working in an office, like having lunch on your patio, going for a walk, even just stepping outside for five minutes of fresh air. Don’t forget to take advantage of the perks of working remotely that you sought in the first place— which leads us right to our next topic. Stand Up, Sit Less, Move More A 2015 study conducted in Australia found impressive health benefits from the following routine: sit for twenty minutes, stand for eight minutes, and move around for at least two minutes. Or, if you usually work standing, EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 86 5/13/2020 12:46:20 AM you could maintain twenty-eight-minute work sprints followed by a moving break. Of course, if like most of us you have only a sitting desk, you’d have to tailor the recommended routine to your situation. But this study’s researchers say it’s likely worth the effort, citing high “cardio-metabolic risk”—in particular cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and premature mortality—for those who spend consecutive hours sitting, even for those who engage in great cardio exercise in their off-hours.18 WORK-LIFE FUSION “Work-life balance is a slippery slope. You can get stuck in this point where you’re always on and you never unplug. But that’s a matter of self-management. And part of managing ourselves is setting strict boundaries and guidelines for what’s okay and what’s not okay.” —P hil M ontero, systems engineer, The Garam Group19 Previously, the supposed goal in the slippery slope of “work-life balance” was to keep work and life from overlapping. But recently the conversation has turned toward seeking “work-life fusion,” where the lines between work and life are blurred. To my mind, this welcome evolution is long overdue. Too many of us have been advised to separate our pastimes from our careers, and have tried in vain to cram our passions into slots around our work. But as it happens, remote-working experts join researchers and stress consultants in advocating that remote workers regularly pursue non-work activities. Indeed, several of the scores of respondents consulted in Remote.co’s “remote-friendly company” survey said they look for candidates who have interests outside work, for several reasons. One concerns demonstration of self-sufficiency, and of being a “finisher” as well as a “starter.” Web developer SitePen in particular “lean[s] toward people who are active participants in outside communities. This demonstrates leadership, organization, and passion.” Another reason concerns the admirable objective of continuous self-improvement; a worker steadily progressing toward besting one’s 10k finish time is likely also a worker steadily progressing toward bigger and better work initiatives. And 87 EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 87 5/13/2020 12:46:20 AM 88 | PART II. I N D I V I D UAL S WO R K I N G R EM OT ELY a third reason has to do with plain old burnout. World Wide Web Hosting notes: “It’s imperative to find candidates who have a social foundation outside of work, . . . who gain their social side of life from other avenues.” This is because those who rely on work for their social fix “tend to be unsuccessful in remote positions.”20 Altogether, this speaks to the fact that outside interests help to alleviate a significant aspect of working remotely: the solitude, and its potential deleterious effects. More on that coming up. Remote Work-Life Fusion at Its Best Andy Willis is the director of Working from Anywhere. He shares: “I ran a small company for a few years. One year, I decided to go to France for a month to see if I could ride my bike in the Alps while still working with my colleagues back in Australia. And nothing went wrong. That was life­changing. I realized that I could work from anywhere. As you get older, you see people who defer their life till retirement. But I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to work around my life rather than live around my work.”21 The beauty is that it’s possible to do great work and enjoy the scenery. In another example: my husband is crazy about mountaineering. Several times a year we go on a “workcation,” when we work and explore a new mountain range at the same time. We’ll rent an Airbnb with several rooms and great Wi-Fi, and we’ll work when we need to and go hiking and climbing when we can. For us, changing the scenery every once in a while gives a new perspective to our work. Sonatype product owner Jeffry Hesse feels the same: “I find myself happiest when I’m in nature, when I’m in the mountains. Climbing is one of my passions. And since I can work from anywhere, it means I can go to, say, Argentina for two months to climb the Patagonias. Last December, I spent a month visiting my grandma in Alaska. Next week I fly to California to go climbing. And then I’m going back to Alaska for a few months to climb on glaciers. I couldn’t live like this if I were working in the office. Don’t get me wrong—we work really hard to get everything done. But we make it convenient to do other things in our lives. And that’s what’s so great about working remote. You can merge work and life.”22 EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 88 5/13/2020 12:46:20 AM 4 . R emote Working 201: P erfecting Your G ame | 89 To wrap up this section, it really comes down to just simple advice: take care of yourself, and take time off when you need it. TUNE IN TO YOUR SOCIAL NEEDS “I think people who have never worked remotely might underestimate how lonely it can be.” —I wein F uld, cofounder and lean business hacker, StarterSquad 23 In the previous section, World Wide Web Hosting identified a concern about hiring candidates who have no outlet for feeding their social needs outside work. This is because seasoned remote-friendly employers know all too well what Sonatype Agile coach Mark Kilby defines so succinctly: “The isolation can really get to you at times.”24 When we work on our own, we can easily become disconnected. Many of those I interviewed shared that they struggled with loneliness when they first went remote. Many people simply miss the coffee machine banter. Fortunately, we have options, and they don’t all have to include face time. First, there’s no shortage of opportunities (for better or worse) to engage with like-minded people on the internet. Joining groups on social media lets you tap into the breathtaking array of knowledge and passions and projects initiated by people around the world. Another possibility is working together online. As noted earlier, coworking spaces offer work stations for rent by the hour, day, or month. For many, the chance to be around others is even more appealing than the productive workspace. But for some, like myself, it’s just too distracting—the noise, the movement, and the lack of privacy keep me from concentrating on my work. So, as much as I enjoy working with others, coworking is not for me. But virtual coworking? That’s another story! With virtual coworking, I can maintain social connections from the comforts of my perfectly tailored home office. How? By using visual technology to regularly check in with like-minded colleagues. EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 89 5/13/2020 12:46:20 AM 90 | PART II. I N D I V I D UAL S WO R K I N G R EM OT ELY Back in 2012, I wrote a book for a mutual client with Gretchen Wegner, an academic life coach who lives in California. Every day we’d meet for a few hours during the time when our workdays overlapped, using Skype to talk to each other and a Google Doc to write the book. We’d turn on our video for the first five to ten minutes to say hello and check in, and then we’d turn off the video to focus on the writing. Our sessions were extremely productive and a lot of fun, and we became good friends. We liked working together so much that, even once the book was done, we decided to continue our daily sessions with our own projects. To this day we still work together—and we’ve still not met in person. Note that this approach isn’t limited to just two people; video conferencing technology makes it possible to meaningfully connect with a whole team. For more, check out the work together online section of chapter 8, which describes a number of ways to digitally foster the camaraderie of working with a group. If it’s face time you crave, note that social networking services aren’t just for the world of the web; sites such as Meetup.com help like-minded individuals spend time together in the physical realm, perhaps practicing a language, or learning to cook. (At the time of this writing, upcoming Meetup events in San Francisco included “Taiji, Xinyi, and Bagua internal strength training” and “serving breakfast at a homeless shelter.”) Of course, if you want to spend more time around other solo professionals, finding a coworking space is ideal. And note: that needn’t be a full-time setup; even just renting a spot one day a week could be just what you need— especially if you choose a day (like a Thursday or Friday) when the work day could evolve into drinks or dinner afterward. To sum up: there are many ways to spark connection from our remote-working posts; we just need to find the ways that work for us. And when we find the trick to tending to all our needs, we’ll be better equipped to learn exactly what we’re made of—as well as where we can take ourselves next. Always work on improving yourself. Keep experimenting and learning something new all the time. —R alph van R oosmalen, coach and Management 3.0 facilitator 25 EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 90 5/13/2020 12:46:20 AM 4 . R emote Working 201: P erfecting Your G ame | 91 How to Be a Team Player I can’t stress it enough: for a remote team to work well together, they must mutually decide upon how they will work together. Chapter 9 details the many considerations of such agreements from the group perspective. For now, we’ll touch upon certain aspects from the individual perspective. Since the best configuration of any group results when the sum is greater than its parts, let’s make sure your contribution meets that lofty standard. COMMUNICATION “Good communication is key. Working remotely requires more frequent communications at and between all levels of the organization.” —C hris R idgewell, director, Wisework; principal and owner, Charterhouse Consultants group26 Both chapters 3 and 6 identify how important excellent communication skills are to remote working, especially given how often written communication is called for. But when it comes to being a good team player, it’s not just about clarity or a clever turn of phrase; good communication practices involve how much you say, when you say it, and why. Preferably, each team will collectively craft a team agreement in which they establish their preferred means of fulfilling their many collaborative activities. (We cover team agreements in chapter 9.) One essential agreement item is communication etiquette, wherein it might be decided, for example, that text or IM (or a chat tool) is preferred over email for relaying certain kinds of information; or that it’s ideal to respond to emails within a certain time frame. But even before you forge a team agreement, you can still practice recommended etiquette around communication. To start off, we can strive to make our emails as effective as possible in two main ways. One, when sending messages that request responses to multiple items, clearly identify each item (perhaps by numbering them) to indicate precisely what information you need. If your respondent leaves EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 91 5/13/2020 12:46:20 AM 92 | PART II. I N D I V I D UAL S WO R K I N G R EM OT ELY any items unanswered, request those again—and maybe try new means of emphasizing them in future correspondence. Two, when responding to multi-item messages, offer a reply to each salient point—just as you would in a verbal conversation. The benefit of this latter approach is twofold: you move the project along with your thorough replies, and you build connection with your teammates by leaving no point ignored or disregarded. As much as it can be productive to convey a lot in one message, it’s also true that email can hide information behind imprecise or even irrelevant subject headings, in part because often more than one subject is addressed. So some recommend keeping each message to just one topic. Hassan Osman at Cisco Systems takes it one step further: he changes the subject line of email threads as the conversation changes so that the information can be more easily tracked down in the future. (This is one reason why many teams prefer chat tools over email, since the chat platform documents information in a central hub that’s readily accessible to all.) An additional consideration is how many emails you send, and how often. Independent consultant Peter Hilton shares a guideline borrowed from Morse code etiquette: “My rule of thumb is: don’t send faster than you can receive, and then don’t send faster than the other person is sending.”27 Another tip: learn to type faster. I heard of someone who considered it agonizing to IM with a particular coworker because his messages took so long to arrive. But the friend wasn’t even a slow typist—he just took such effort to write well that the recipient fell asleep before the reply came through. So if you’re a slow typist or a perfectionist writer, you might want to opt against IM—and learn to type faster. One last point speaks to an upcoming topic: the inevitable conflicts that can emerge within any community—and that often begin with simple misunderstandings and incorrect assumptions. As product manager Fernando Garrido Vaz shares: “Each individual has his or her own traits, obviously. But there are patterns in how people in different regions behave and, in particular, communicate about things. So you just have to be aware that this difference exists, and then train yourself to be slower to react.”28 In other words, learn to not jump to conclusions—as well as to not express annoyance (precipitously). We cover this at length lower down. EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 92 5/13/2020 12:46:20 AM 4 . R emote Working 201: P erfecting Your G ame | 93 COLLABORATION A similar take is relevant to the collaborative process as well. Trainer, coach, and advisor Ben Linders recommends: “Respect other people’s processes. They will often be different than yours.”29 Ben speaks from experience. Based in the Netherlands, Ben collaborated with Portuguese management consultant Luis Gonçalves in writing a book, Getting Value Out of Agile ­Retrospectives: A Toolbox of Retrospective Exercises, which they cowrote remotely. They embarked upon this challenge because they respected each other’s knowledge, but they soon learned they had very different ways of working. Though it caused friction at first, once they communicated why they chose the approaches they did they came to respect each other’s processes—as well as to find a common ground that worked for both of them. I’ve had similar experiences in hiring others to work on aspects of my business. At first it was tricky, but once I learned I liked their results, I had to remind myself to let go and let them work in their own way, using the processes and tools that worked for them. Both communication and collaboration are essential ingredients in the deeper processes of working on a remote team—namely: building trust, and building relationship. BUILDING TRUST: DEMONSTRATING RELIABILITY “Reputation is the cornerstone of the collaboration economy.” —P er F rykman, founder, Reputation Mastery 30 When we work in an office, we can see that our teammates are present and engaged with something—in a meeting, say, or typing at their computers. Part of why we’re productive in that setting is because the atmosphere of diligence inspires us to demonstrate ours as well. That industrious team effort produces a sense of trust, which binds a team together. But when we work remotely we don’t have that built-in awareness of everyone contributing to the mission. This is in part because remote teams EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 93 5/13/2020 12:46:20 AM 94 | PART II. I N D I V I D UAL S WO R K I N G R EM OT ELY don’t have those in-the-flesh visuals of teammate diligence. But the thing is, those visual cues can be misleading; while it’s easy to assume that on-site workers at their computers are being productive—they could in fact be updating their Netflix lists. Conversely, the fact that we can’t see remote workers working leaves a visual vacuum—one readily filled by images of them kicking back watching Netflix. But it doesn’t stop there. Thoughts like I bet they’re not working can accumulate, and develop into worsening negative associations. Next comes the fact that we’re less likely to communicate with coworkers we don’t feel good about, which only exacerbates the issue. And when teammates stop talking to each other, they can end up withholding information—or, worse, gossiping or disengaging. And, just like in the office, alliances can form. All of this can manifest into distrust, on-site or online. The difference is that when we’re working online it’s harder to detect where and when things start going wrong. To replicate that positive, “everyone’s contributing” on-site mentality in the virtual realm we have to embrace new mind sets. We need to trust that others will deliver the results they committed to; we need to be willing to advertise our productivity; and we need to deliver the results we committed to delivering. The building blocks of trust start with being reliable, consistent, and transparent. Can I rely on you to get your work done on time? Will you deliver high-quality work? Can I find you if I need to? In a typical office, if you go to all the meetings, you’re active, and you speak up, then people think you’re productive. But if you’re working remotely, you have to deliver things. If you don’t deliver the things you promised, everyone sees that. — M ichael S liwinski, founder and CEO, Nozbe 31 Of course, delivering what we say we will demonstrates a lot, but those of us whose projects take more than a workday to complete need to find additional means of, in remote parlance, being “visible” to our colleagues. For EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 94 5/13/2020 12:46:20 AM 4 . R emote Working 201: P erfecting Your G ame | 95 many of us, working on a remote team calls for being willing to advertise our productivity, which we can do by working out loud. I could be working hard all day—but you won’t know that unless I share it with you. But if my document is posted to an online space and you’re seeing the updates, and you’re seeing things getting accomplished on a shared to-do list, then there’s no question that I’m working, or what I’m working on. — P hil M ontero, systems engineer, The Garam Group32 Working out loud is a critical part of working on remote teams. Its basic message is, Hey guys, I’m contributing. But just how that gets communicated needs to be determined by the team. Since sending an email every morning saying “Hey, everyone, I’m working on such-and-such” could get tedious, many teams opt for using a dedicated app as a central hub: chat tools like Slack, and/or task-management tools like Asana, Jira, or Trello. Now, one might wonder how the concept of maintaining one’s visibility jibes with limiting distractions so we can get our work done. It all comes down to the group’s overall makeup. Some teams need to know what everyone is doing, and so they talk back and forth regularly. For some teams, “getting your work done” amounts to completing lots of little tasks. If they’re using a task board like Trello, it’s fully visible which tasks were assigned to whom. And when a task gets moved from the “doing” category to the “done” category, everyone can see that work has been accomplished—without a group announcement to that effect. Team members can also advertise what they’re working on simply by keeping their status up to date (with IM tools or Skype, for example). Regardless of the methods employed, those who need to limit their distractions can always specify in their app settings which notifications will get through in real time and which will be saved for later. Again, these are all details that can be mutually decided on in a team agreement. To close the topic of building trust is a contribution that leads right to our next topic: building relationship. EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 95 5/13/2020 12:46:20 AM 96 | PART II. I N D I V I D UAL S WO R K I N G R EM OT ELY We can build trust in a lot of different ways, but showing caring for each other is huge. If people feel like you have their back, you know something about their personal life, and you’re respecting that, all of that builds trust. That is the key to teamwork, whether it’s virtual or colocated. — D ave B lum, founder, Dr. Clue 33 BUILDING RELATIONSHIP “To build trust, be transparent and be personal.” —A ndrea Z abala, information systems engineer  34 We are a better team when we like the people we work with. And to like them, we need to get to know them. We can begin that process by helping others get to know us, by offering a bit of our personality along with our professionalism. The trick is, some will be more open than others—just as some cultures are more open than others. The good news is there are many ways to build relationships within teams. And the first one is easy: turn on the webcam. As visual creatures, we can’t help but feel more connected when we can match a face with a voice and name. So don’t just write or call your teammates; initiate video conversations as a regular means of communication, both one-on-one and as a group. But the webcam is just the start. On remote teams many just show up to meetings, discuss the agenda, and then resume their individual tasks. That doesn’t leave a lot of time for getting to know each other. So at Happy Melly—the fully distributed professional association of which I’m the remote team manager—we build personal time into all our meetings. Anyone who feels like hanging out can arrive five to ten minutes early; otherwise, members simply join at the scheduled time. As you can imagine, the more often you participate in that kind of personal time, the better you’ll get to know your teammates—and they you. At Happy Melly we also open our meetings with “icebreakers” to facilitate greater connection. These could be naming EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 96 5/13/2020 12:46:20 AM 4 . R emote Working 201: P erfecting Your G ame | 97 a favorite food, or bringing something for show-and-tell: say, the mug you got in Tierra del Fuego. I realize that could sound pretty cheesy, but this kind of thing actually gets people engaged and talking to each other about personal things. Whatever the mechanism, the point is to offer some of our personality to the team, however subtly or overtly we go about it. If you’ve got an interesting collection of T-shirts, wear them; don’t opt for the same sweater every day. In Part IV we cover various ways teams build relationship with scheduled socializing, such as hosting a Friday Happy Hour or Trivia Night. Though many such activities get planned team-wide, or are manager-­initiated, that doesn’t mean you can’t initiate some yourself. In the same way you might grab coffee with a colocated teammate, grab a virtual coffee or lunch with the mates on your virtual team. Get to know them. Of course, the top-recommended advice on team building is to meet in person as often as possible. For many teams that would have to be initiated by management, but there’s no harm in requesting more face-to-face time if you don’t feel you get enough. Though you can develop a lot via video communication, the plain fact is that remote bonding works best once in-theflesh time has sparked a substantial beginning. Another tip is to maximize face time when you have it. If your team can’t get together regularly, don’t fill your limited in-person time with activities that you could do online. Take advantage of proximity when you can. In sum, though much of team building should come from the top, there are still many ways for individuals to make their own interpersonal in-roads. ADDRESSING CONFLICT “Remember that you’re simply working with a person. Stop making assumptions and start asking questions. Be curious.” —P ilar O rti, director, Virtual not Distant 35 Building relationship doesn’t just make for increased fun time; it also helps to keep conflict at bay. Though some conflict is inevitable, you can prevent EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 97 5/13/2020 12:46:20 AM 98 | PART II. I N D I V I D UAL S WO R K I N G R EM OT ELY minor annoyances from brewing into larger disturbances in a number of ways. First up: positive communication. Practice Positive Communication When we’re remote, we need to take special care in being kind and constructive in how we communicate with each other. This calls for a few ground rules. For starters, since it’s easy to read negativity into written communication, even when none was intended, it’s wise to always be friendly, even overtly friendly. The flip side of that is to always assume positive intent. If we don’t have enough information on why someone said or did something—or why something wasn’t done—it can be all too easy to fill that blank with a negative assumption. Instead, make a conscious effort to not jump to conclusions. Even if your correspondent wasn’t in any way friendly, try to assume no ill will was intended. Management consultant Vanessa Shaw offers: “When you’re not sure how to respond to someone, ask yourself ‘What else do I not know?’”36 And finally, resist the urge to express charged emotion. Expanding on this point: some of us are prone to express exactly what we feel as soon as we feel it. Of course, as much as that might feel good in the moment, such words can cause permanent damage to our relationships. It’s always wiser to keep what we really want to say to ourselves—and instead respond as constructively as possible. (We’ll cover these items again lower down.) Offer Positive, Constructive Feedback I’ll state this up-front: I recently Googled the term “feedback sandwich.” The top hits led to several articles published by reputable sources that specifically did not recommend this feedback approach. So, if you’re skeptical of the “sandwich,” note two things. One, there’s a difference between peer-topeer feedback and boss-to-employee feedback—and the articles were written to managers. And, two, the writers were objecting to what I consider to be faulty or insufficient use of what really can be an effective method. With the feedback sandwich, one offers constructive feedback sand- EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 98 5/13/2020 12:46:20 AM 4 . R emote Working 201: P erfecting Your G ame | 99 wiched between two positives. The trick in making this approach effective concerns the sincerity of the positive comments, the relevance of those comments, and the phrasing of the feedback. To my mind, the point of the positives isn’t to use a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down. Sometimes the point is to say: some of what you’ve done works—now let’s see how we can bring the rest of the project up to that standard. After all, we can’t produce high-quality work if we’re not clear on what would pass that test. Also, in some cases we might think the respondent just didn’t get what we were trying to do. But if we can see that some of what we did was appreciated, we’re more likely to see the critique as relevant. Another point: since many of us don’t do our best work when feeling discouraged, the compliment offered with the feedback could smooth our path back to the drawing board. On the flip side, regarding a lack of positivity: if the critiquer seems overly negative—or is a negative person in general—it’s hard to know what part of the assessment is valid and what is simply a reflection of that c­ oworker’s current mood, general outlook, or even personal feelings about us. To follow are some guidelines for providing constructive feedback. offer sincere positives. These could include parts that work of the piece in question; parts that have worked of your colleagues’ previous efforts; your respect for their efforts overall; or your positive feeling about them in general. phrase your feedback in terms of your opinion, not of absolutes. There’s not much efficacy in saying that something is poor/ slipshod/mediocre/lousy/stupid. Instead, express why something isn’t working for you, or why you think said item won’t serve its purpose. For example, “I don’t quite follow this argument, so no doubt some others won’t as well. Can you clarify it more?” Or, “This feels incomplete to me. How about fleshing out this portion?” consider the objective. Above all, don’t lose sight of what’s really at stake. If everyone benefits from tasks being done well, then do what you can to help your teammates reach that, yes, happy conclusion. EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 99 5/13/2020 12:46:21 AM 100 | PART II. I N D I V I D UAL S WO R K I N G R EM OT ELY Next: how to request—and receive—feedback that will actually be helpful to you. Request Constructive Feedback In her Trello blog article “Avoid the Seagull Effect: The 30/60/90 Framework for Feedback,” Lauren Moon talks about the frustrating occurrence of teammates “swooping” in like seagulls giving negative, way-too-late feedback on projects nearing completion.37 (Medium.com offers a fuller definition: “Seagulling: when someone comes into your work, shits all over it, then flies away.”38) To prevent this situation, Lauren recommends using the 30/60/90 framework for requesting feedback, wherein one requests specific levels of feedback at different phases in a project. (See the sidebar to follow.) The 30/60/90 Feedback Framework Any project that requires feedback from multiple people can be adapted to the 30/60/90 feedback framework. The levels represent advancing stages in the project’s development. 30 -PERCENT FEEDBACK At the beginning stages of an initiative, request feedback on direction and scope—basically, ideas, opinions, or tips on the general concept. Specify that you welcome the following types of input: • impressions of the higher-level concept; • thoughts about different audiences to target; • suggestions for scope and ways to expand; • “go” or “no go” decisions on project elements; and • alignment on higher-level organizational goals. In addition, specify that you’re not ready for feedback regarding: • copyediting, sentence structure, or formatting. EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 100 5/13/2020 12:46:21 AM 60 -PERCENT FEEDBACK With this second phase, you’ll have fleshed out the concept much more, but are still open to significant feedback. Lauren notes: “It’s critical during this round to get all stakeholders involved, because it is their suggestions that will catapult the piece—whatever it is—from a first draft to a nearly finished product. Plus, if you don’t get their feedback now, you’re running the risk falling prey to the dreaded seagulling territory down the road.” Specify that you welcome the likes of: • suggestions of different ways to expand; • nitty-gritty comments on grammar, copyediting, sentence structure, or formatting; • details of color, graphics, design, etc.; and • comments on if the feedback from the previous round was implemented effectively. In addition, specify that you’re not requesting: • impressions of the higher-level concept; • “go” or “no go” decisions about key project elements; or • alignment on higher-level organizational goals. 90 -PERCENT FEEDBACK With the final stage the project is nearly done. “Think of this as the ‘Is there anything else I missed?’ round of feedback.” Specify that you welcome: • nitty-gritty comments on grammar/copyediting/sentence structure/ formatting and • comments on if the feedback from the previous round was implemented effectively. In addition, specify that you’re not requesting: • suggestions of different ways to expand (unless relatively minor); • impressions of the higher-level concept; • “go” or “no go” decisions about basically any part of the project; or • alignment on higher-level organizational goals. Source: Lauren Moon, “Avoid the Seagull Effect: The 30/60/90 Framework for Feedback,” Trello Blog, 4 June 2018.39 101 EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 101 5/13/2020 12:46:21 AM 102 | PART II. I N D I V I D UAL S WO R K I N G R EM OT ELY And when you receive feedback, do your best to be open to it. Try to put your ego aside and see where the other person is coming from—especially if the feedback is offered with a mind to benefiting the team and/or the organization as a whole. Of course, ideally the feedback itself would be phrased positively. You can encourage just that by ensuring that all feedback you offer is phrased as kindly and as constructively as possible. (Since effective feedback is so important to productivity and team building, we address it at length in chapter 8.) Don’t Try to Resolve Conflict in Writing It’s widely advised: as soon as an interaction starts to get heated, ditch the written word and pick up the phone or turn on the webcam. It’s easy to build up a grievance against a shadowy entity; it’s much harder to assume—and impose—negative intent when we’re interacting with a human face or voice. Resist the urge to hide in the remote bushes; instead, work on building relationships. Try to Resolve Conflict One-on-One Similarly, when you need to voice a concern, don’t use a team-wide forum, like group chat, as your first option. Communicate one-on-one. If you reach an impasse, rope in your manager. Personal differences can be tricky enough as it is; don’t add public embarrassment (or worse) to the mix. A s the above chapter details, a lot goes into being a great member of a remote team. So let’s close with a few lines of advice from remote-working experts: Be generous with your information and resources. — H assan O sman, PMO manager, Cisco Systems 40 Focus on doing great work. — F ernando G arrido V az, independent product manager 41 EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 102 5/13/2020 12:46:21 AM 4 . R emote Working 201: P erfecting Your G ame | 103 Be willing to experiment and fail. — Vanessa S haw, workplace innovator, Human Side of Tech42 Push the ball forward every day. — J effry H esse, Agile coach, Sonatype 43 Remote Reminders Motivation and Self-Discipline • Have a set routine in the morning. • Dress like you’re going to work. • Work in a space designated for work. • Set a schedule and stick to it. Productivity • Experiment with time- and task-management methodologies and apps. • Minimize multitasking; instead, focus on one thing at a time. • Pace yourself: regulate your energy so as to maximize your stamina and mental acuity. • Make sure your workspace aids rather than hinders your productivity. • Balance stints of productive, focused work with sufficient breaks that include movement. For example, try out a routine of sitting for twenty minutes, standing for eight minutes, and moving for two minutes. • Don’t forget to allow yourself the perks of remote working that you sought in the first place. EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 103 5/13/2020 12:46:21 AM 104 | PART II. I N D I V I D UAL S WO R K I N G R EM OT ELY • Consider the ways you can develop work-life fusion that allows time for your non-work interests. • Combat the risk of loneliness by actively seeking social interaction— both in person and online. Communication and Collaboration • Practice good communication etiquette. Some recommend keeping emails to just one topic or item—with a subject line to match, so the information is easily tracked later. • Practice positive communication: be overtly friendly, and assume positive intent. • Adopt a virtual-team mind set. That calls for trusting that others will deliver the results they committed to, advertising your productivity, and delivering the results you committed to. Building Trust and Relationship • To build trust, be reliable, consistent, and transparent; make sure your teammates know what you’re working on and how to reach you. • Get to know your teammates. Be personable; share a bit of yourself. • Use video tools to socialize virtually: schedule a virtual coffee or lunch with a coworker, plan a games night. • Get together in person when possible. • Be open to feedback. • When addressing conflict, resist the urge to express charged emotion. Instead, focus on constructively discussing the issue—preferably by phone, video, or in person. EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 104 5/13/2020 12:46:21 AM PART II Extras EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 105 5/13/2020 12:46:21 AM QUESTIONNAIRE FOR INDIVIDUALS Are You Ready to Work Remotely? Working remotely requires “tenacity, trustworthiness, empathy, and adaptability. Thankfully, these are traits anyone can strengthen with commitment and a little effort.” —K risti D e P aul, Remote.co1 When it comes to what makes for an ideal remote worker, the consensus is clear: remote working is not for everyone. Some crave the working-together energy of being around teammates, as well as the sense of connection from in-person interactions. Some need the structure and nose-to-the-grindstone work environment of an office. Some find a predetermined schedule helps them stay on track. Some need extra guidance. And some just need more social interaction than a day’s worth of video calls can provide. So whether you’re planning to ask your boss to offer the remote option or you’re hoping to be a company’s newest remote hire, you’ll want to find out in advance just how prepared—and suited—you are to being a great teammate from afar. Then, once you know where you currently stand, you’ll know what to focus on to become even more prepared—or if you should stick to the on-site option for now. This questionnaire is available for download, in both MS Word and PDF formats, at https://collaborationsuperpowers.com/extras. I nstructions for section 1: Answer the following questions. (If you like the tangibility of paper, you can print out either of the two downloadable formats noted above.) 106 EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 106 5/13/2020 12:46:21 AM Q uestionnaire for I ndividuals | 107 Section • Are you clear on all the reasons you’re thinking of working remotely? yes /not yet • Do you have a clear sense of the potential drawbacks of working remotely? yes /not yet • If yes, do you think your motivation to succeed in working remotely can make up for whatever drawbacks you experience? yes /not yet • Do you have more than one reliable means of being reached? yes / not yet • Do you have access to a quiet space for audio calls? yes /not yet • Do you have a fast, well-functioning computer (desktop or laptop)? yes /not yet • If you have a desktop but not a laptop, can you imagine needing a laptop in addition? yes /not yet • Do you have fast, reliable internet access? yes /not yet • Will you need a secure internet connection for your work? yes /not yet • Do you have webcam capability (built in to most modern laptops and monitors)? yes /not yet • Do you have a headset? yes /not yet • Do you have access to a professional-looking setup for video calls? yes /not yet • Might you need to work while traveling? yes /not yet Depending on your situation, additional supplies you might need include an extension cord, external keyboard, mobile router, additional monitor, mouse, power adapter, or power strip. EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 107 5/13/2020 12:46:21 AM 108 | PAR T I I Extras • Do you consider yourself tech savvy in using your phone? yes /not yet • Do you have access to tech support for your phone if you need it? yes / not yet • Do you consider yourself tech savvy in using your computer(s)? yes /not yet • Do you have access to tech support for your computer(s) if you need it? yes /not yet • Are you comfortable sending texts? yes /not yet • Are you comfortable sending Instant Messages (IM)? yes /not yet • Are you comfortable with video conferencing? yes /not yet • Are you comfortable working with online calendars and the like (Outlook, Mac Mail, Google Calendar, etc.)? yes /not yet • According to a Remote.co survey updated in early 2018, the most commonly used apps among scores of remote-friendly companies are: Basecamp, Google Chat, Pivotal Tracker, Skype, Slack [formerly HipChat, then Stride], Trello, and Yammer.2 Are you comfortable working with these? yes /not yet • Are you an excellent communicator via the phone? yes /not yet • Are you an excellent communicator in writing? yes /not yet • Are you an excellent communicator via video? yes /not yet • What is your normal response time to phone calls? • What is your normal response time to emails? • What is your normal response time to texts? EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 108 5/13/2020 12:46:21 AM Q uestionnaire for I ndividuals | 109 • Are you comfortable communicating asynchronously in groups? yes /not yet • Would you be working in a different time zone from your team members or boss? yes /not yet • If yes, how many hours of overlap will there be? • Are you in the practice of being aware of coworkers’ time zone(s)? yes /not yet • Do you consider yourself to be organized? yes /not yet • Do you consider yourself to be disciplined? yes /not yet • Do you consider yourself to be focused/not easily distracted? yes /not yet • Are you skilled in prioritizing/time-management strategies? yes /not yet • Have you worked with any project- or task-management tools (for yourself, not in terms of working with others)? yes /not yet • Are you good at staying motivated? yes /not yet • If not yet, do you have any preferred tricks to staying motivated? yes /not yet • Do you consider yourself resourceful in solving problems that come up in your work? yes /not yet • If not yet, do you have thoughts on how you could develop that resourcefulness? yes /not yet • Can you describe a time you demonstrated excellent problem-solving/ troubleshooting skills? yes /not yet EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 109 5/13/2020 12:46:21 AM 110 | PAR T I I Extras • Do you have experience working remotely in any capacity? (That experience could include working while on a business trip or occasionally working from home, such as when sick or waiting for the plumber.) yes /not yet For those with no previous experience: • Do you have experience working with a remote team member or (short-term) contractor? (Meaning, you worked on-site, but the other person didn’t.) yes /not yet • Have you ever worked on-site where you communicated with some colocated team members by phone or email much more often than face-to-face? (This applies especially to large campuses or offices with multiple floors.) yes /not yet • If you don’t have any remote working experience, do you have any ideas of where you could get some experience? yes /not yet For those with previous experience: • Do you have a sense of what are your favorite and least favorite things about working remotely? yes /not yet • Do you have a sense of what’s meaningful to you about working remotely? yes /not yet • Do you consider yourself a self-starter? yes /not yet • Do you consider yourself a proactive communicator? yes /not yet • Do you consider yourself a curious person? yes /not yet • Have you pursued some personal development in the last twelve months? yes /not yet EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 110 5/13/2020 12:46:22 AM Q uestionnaire for I ndividuals | 111 • Do you have interests separate from work? yes /not yet • Do you have any long-term pursuits? yes /not yet • Does your work history reflect upward movement within or across companies? yes /not yet • Have you ever been rehired by a former boss? yes /not yet • Can you demonstrate any examples of being resilient in response to setbacks or hardship? yes /not yet • Do you have trouble switching off of work mode? yes /not yet • Are you skilled in maintaining a healthy work-life balance in general? yes /not yet • Do you have any preferred practices for ensuring a healthy work/life balance? yes /not yet • Is loneliness a potential concern for you? yes /not yet • If yes, do you have ready solutions to loneliness already in place—as in regular access to friends and family; or established sports, group activities, or hobbies? yes /not yet • If you don’t already have a “diversified social portfolio” as noted in the previous question, can you imagine developing one? yes /not yet • Do you have experience working on a team? yes /not yet • Do you know if you prefer to work on your own or on a team? yes / not yet • Are you willing to keep team members apprised of what you’re currently working on? (This is also known as make your work visible to others or “working out loud.”) yes /not yet EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 111 5/13/2020 12:46:22 AM 112 | PAR T I I Extras • Are you willing to keep team members apprised of how to reach you during established work hours? yes /not yet • Do you have experience working out loud? yes /not yet • Do you have a preferred means of letting others know what you’re working on? yes /not yet • Are you practiced in keeping your status updated for others to see? yes /not yet • Are you familiar with the idea of using different means of communication for different kinds of information? yes /not yet • Do you maintain a positive tone when writing email, texts, or instant messages? yes /not yet • Would you consider yourself pleasant to interact with? yes /not yet • Would you say that you have a collaborative, supportive nature? yes /not yet • Are you open to making constructive use of feedback? yes /not yet • Are you able to keep your temper in check? yes /not yet • Can you describe the last misunderstanding you had with a coworker—and how you handled it? yes /not yet • Are you willing to do what it takes to be an excellent remote worker? yes /not yet • Could you demonstrate to a potential employer that you’d be a great hire? yes /not yet EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 112 5/13/2020 12:46:22 AM Q uestionnaire for I ndividuals | 113 Section 2 Now, let’s tease out your replies a bit. For each question where you answered yes, write a sentence that describes or demonstrates that particular qualification. (Instructions for completing this section digitally vs. on paper follow this paragraph.) For example: “I am willing to respond quickly to all communication to ensure our project continues smoothly.” For each question where you answered not yet (at least of the items that are applicable to you), write a sentence describing what it would take to make your honest reply a yes. This might be as simple as “I will as soon as I buy a new headset, which I’m doing tomorrow.” Or, “I don’t have ideal space at home right now, but I’ll be looking into the pricing at a coworking space later this week.” Or your reply could be more complicated, such as “I’m not always great about responding immediately to emails, but this is something I’m willing to work on.” Most important, be honest. If an answer falls along the lines of “I’m not willing to let everyone on my team know where I am or what I’m working on all the time,” then you should say so rather than pretend otherwise. The goal here is to identify what will work for you, as well as what you’re willing to work for. I nstructions for section 2: With this part of the exercise we’ll want to finish with each answer as its own separate entity, whether that’s a physical square of paper or index card, or a digital “card” you can move around on your screen. If you like the tangibility of paper, you could write on index cards, write longhand on paper, or type your answers and then print them. (For the two paper options, divide a piece of letter paper into halves or thirds [make two or three columns if you want to type], write or type your answers, and then cut the answers into separate pieces.) If you prefer the digital realm, consider using a board-style task manager such as Trello. (To go this route, create an answers list, and then answer each question as a separate card in that list; you’ll end with a very long list.) An app like OneNote could also work; the idea is just to make it easy for you to move an answer to a different spot in your workspace. EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 113 5/13/2020 12:46:22 AM 114 | PAR T I I Extras Section 3 Once you’ve completed section 2 and have provided fuller answers to each question in section 1, identify two “camps” on your digital workspace or physical table: one for yes and one for not yet. (For a task board like Trello, create two new lists to the right of your answers list: yes and not yet.) Next, review your answers one at a time, and move them to either the yes camp or the not yet camp. (Some might even want a third camp, for “Not going to happen!” Again, we’re being honest here.) Once you’ve completed that, take a look at where you stand. Based on how big each camp is, you’ll have a sense of just how ready you are to work remotely. If you decide to pursue the remote option, you’ve also just created your to-do list, since every not yet reply spells out exactly what you need to do to pursue that item. (This is another reason to try out Trello, since it’s designed to help you visualize a project from start to finish.) Thus ends the at-the-moment part of this exercise; what follows will take however long it takes. Start working on your not yet items. Once each is done, move it to the yes camp by writing an updated sentence about it (perhaps on the back of your paper square or index card if you’re employing the tangible method). This time, describe your new proficiency in that item, as in: “I have a local dial-a-tech lined up should I ever need technical support.” One last thing: just why should you write out proficiency statements for your yes replies? Because they make for great interview answers or cover letter inclusions, or could be used in your pitch to your boss, as in: “My preferred means of letting others know what I’m working on is to post a short update in Slack at the end of each day—in part because it helps me identify what to start on first thing the next day.” As it happens, the vast majority of traits that employers seek in a remote worker have been addressed in this exercise, so your ready answer to their future burning questions will demonstrate your ample qualification for the position. Here’s to fruitful progress! EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 114 5/13/2020 12:46:22 AM CONVINCING YOUR BOSS (OR TEAM) If your going-remote plan includes the need to convince your boss, then the first step is to complete the “Are You Ready to Work Remotely?” questionnaire just preceding (if you haven’t done so already). This is because the ammunition you’ll need for convincing your boss will come from your ­written-out yes answers to the various questions; those answers will demonstrate you’ve got what it takes to make your remote venture a success. (­Ideally you’ll have very few items—if any—remaining in your not yet camp before you broach the subject with your boss.) To begin your boss-convincing plan, let’s turn again to the Meghan M. Biro comment quoted earlier, this time in full: When my role is to be a virtual team member, I need to be self-­ motivated, focused, curious, flexible, and, above all, collaborative. When my role is to be an entrepreneur managing virtual teams, I need to be empathetic, emotionally intelligent, sensitive to what others need, and willing and able to provide whatever tools are necessary for success. In either role, I must . . . be self-aware—in tune with my skills, capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses.1 Consider this description in light of your manager. Do you think she or he is “empathetic, emotionally intelligent, sensitive to what others need, and willing and able to provide whatever tools are necessary for success”? Perhaps that’s too much to know the answer to right away, but keep it in mind as you proceed. Regardless of how well received your request to work remotely might be, you’ll want to take the time to consider the prospect from your boss’s perspective. What about productivity? Reliability? What about team morale? From there, the goal is to decide how best to demonstrate that you’ll be fully accessible, responsive, and, above all, productive. 115 EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 115 5/13/2020 12:46:22 AM 116 | PAR T I I Extras Another major consideration: pretty much every expert says that if one team member works remotely, even just some of the time, then the team needs to function as if everyone were remote. At first blush that sounds like a tall order, but it’s also true that the work practices of remote teams are superior to standard on-site practices—because they call for everyone being more intentional. Even just advertising how to be reached when—as well as what one is currently working on—communicates the dedication to the mission that everyone wants to see. Now, the task at hand, broken down into steps. Note that you can download this material at https://www. collaborationsuperpowers.com/extras. 1. So that you’ll be well apprised of all the concerns your boss or team might have, you’d be wise to read Chapter 5: Transitioning Toward the Remote Option, especially the Actually Going Remote section, as well as the entirety of chapters 7 through 9. (Chapter 10 is less relevant to your objective here.) Along the way, take notes on everything that applies to your work situation, as well as what new practices or tools would be called for. (The items that follow share more about what kind of notes you should take.) 2. Draw up a first-draft plan of what you would need to do or acquire in order to work as successfully when remote as you do now. (This task will be well informed by the to-do list you created from your “Are You Ready to Work Remotely?” questionnaire.) 3. Consider how to quantify all that you do. At the very least, you’ll want to pitch just how you will demonstrate that you’re fulfilling all your obligations. If possible, show how your going remote will add value. 4. Draw up a first-draft plan of what you think your team would need to do (or acquire) in order to maintain the team’s current level of productivity with you working remotely. EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 116 5/13/2020 12:46:22 AM C onvincing Your B oss (or T eam) | 117 5. Spend some time considering whether your team would be willing to adopt the practices necessary to maintain your productivity level. 6. If you’re starting to think this all might be a tough sell, consider getting feedback from your teammates: share what you’re contemplating and ask how receptive they might be to your plan. 7. Prepare a proposal and timeline to present to your boss that addresses the following: • why it’s important to you to work remotely; what benefit you will get from it. Don’t shy away from admitting that you want to spend more time with your family—or whatever personal reasons you might have. The point isn’t to deny your human side; the point is to demonstrate that the impetus is meaningful enough to you to want to make it work. (Though note the sidebar to follow this list.) • what you’ve already done to prepare yourself for this new challenge. (See item 2, above.) • how you will personally demonstrate you are continuing to fulfill your obligations to the team. (See item 3, above.) • how this could be done well team-wide—perhaps including mention that your team has already expressed they’re willing to try it out. (See items 4 through 6, above.) • how it would roll out. Propose a trial period so everyone can see how it works in action. For example, some recommend having the first phase of the rollout be everyone starting out your new remote-communicating practices while you’re all still on-site. After a week or two of that, try working from home one day a week for two weeks, then two days for two weeks, etc. Most important, schedule regular check-ins to see how the system could be improved. 8. Schedule a time to meet with your boss and present your proposal— perhaps with him or her reading it with you right there, ready to answer any questions. While the shyer ones amongst us might prefer to simply EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 117 5/13/2020 12:46:22 AM 118 | PAR T I I Extras submit the proposal and wait for a reply, that approach could also lead to some pretty nervous hours, days, or even weeks before your boss gets back to you. Taking the more assertive approach would be one way of demonstrating just how serious you are about making this work. Parents Working from Home If you plan to work from home and you have children, specify that you will be setting expectations with your family. Make it clear that you have no illusions that you can work from home and caretake at the same time. As career development expert Brie Reynolds puts it: “As the mom of a two-year-old, there is absolutely no way I can work from home and have him here with just him and me at the same time. . . . This is a real job. You wouldn’t bring your two-year-old to hang out with you every day in a traditional office environment. Certainly, you can’t hang out with him at home either.”2 EBSCOhost - printed on 10/19/2023 9:32 AM via STRAYER UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use WTA-interior-20April2020-toWiley-CORRECTED.indd 118 5/13/2020 12:46:22 AM SEEKING REMOTE EMPLOYMENT A “Don’t wait for the stars to align. Whatever it is you want to do, start it now.” —L eslie T ruex, founder, WorkAtHomeSuccess.com1 W The steps to finding remote employment, though few, are by no means simple. The good news is that if you’re really determined, that very determination will get you where you want to go. To start off: if you have the luxury of addressing the biggest-picture concerns, take the time to figure out exactly what you want to do so you can build a career around what you really w...
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