Are your people taking the time off they have coming to them? Are you? Something happened over the end of December this year that highlighted the importance of that question, and why organizations and their leaders need to be vigilant on behalf of their people who work from home. This all arose because I noticed something unusual at the end of December. A larger number of … [Read more...]
A Letter from a Long-Distance Teammate
by Chip R. Bell Dear Long-Distance Leader. If you will provide a partnership-like relationship with me, it will free you up from having to “snoopervise” me. Here are my aspirations for how we might work together in the future. I will work harder, longer, and with greater zeal when I am convinced my work matters. I am not a human form of a capital asset; I need a purpose. … [Read more...]
Are You Playing Favorites with Remote Employees?
Many managers complain that they feel like they have to be Mom or Dad to their teams. Of all the similarities between leading remote employees and being a parent, the most obvious is that you’re not supposed to have favorites. SPOILER ALERT: you probably do. It’s not intentional, and if you’re wise you’re on guard against charges of favoritism and bias. But we display our … [Read more...]
Need Help Pondering the New Year?
You’re probably getting a lot of advice about how this time of year is good for taking stock of you and your team, where you are now and where you want to be. People who do this mean well, but just saying, “Give some thought to where you want to go,” is not all that helpful. At best you will focus on some things that matter, at worst you become a blubbering pile of insecurities … [Read more...]
Thinking About Your Health as a Remote Worker
As we come to the end of the year, you’ll be swamped with blog posts telling you what your New Year’s resolutions should be. While we hate to pile on, this is one of the few points in the year when most of us actually take time to think about what’s next. For that reason, we want to remind you that your health matters, and as a remote worker there’s a pretty good chance you’ve … [Read more...]