Maybe the most commonly stated paradox in remote work involves meetings. A paradox is defined as, “A situation, person, or thing that combines contradictory features or qualities.” So. what’s the paradox when it comes to meetings in a team of any type? The contradictory ideas at play here are: Meetings (in-person, online, or blended) are an important way of … [Read more...]
When Does Remote Bonding Go Too Far?
A few weeks back, we wrote about how showing your pets on Zoom meetings, or at least not hiding them like guilty secrets, can help the team bond and get to know each other. But can it go too far? Here’s the other side of that conversation. Apparently, some people make their pets too central to the process. A reader recently told me about his boss, a lovely lady who has taken … [Read more...]
Why Do We Miss In-Person Meetings?
Remember back before we got sent home for having cooties? Two or three years ago, when the workplace was as it had always been, we hated meetings. We complained constantly about them: A waste of time. Productivity killer. Boring. Remember? Now, when we ask people what the biggest reason for returning to the office is, the number one answer is “so we can meet in person.” If … [Read more...]
What is Collaboration, Anyway?
When we talk to the leaders in organizations about what work will look like in the future, we hear a lot of similar concerns. They worry about the culture of their organization, and how remote and hybrid work will change things. There’s some concern—although far less than at the beginning of the pandemic—about task completion. Will people have the energy, focus and ability to … [Read more...]
How to Find the “Right” Answer through Collaboration
One of the big challenges we hear about hybrid and remote work is that “collaboration is difficult.” One CEO I spoke to said, “My people just come up with better answers when they can work together physically.” That led to an interesting discussion: What does it mean to come up with the best, or right, answer? What makes it "right"? Before you can make a great decision … [Read more...]