Post on 11-Nov-2014
description
Working Digitally
High-touch & High-tech
Rebecca Jones
rebecca@dysartjones.com
905.731.5836
the digital environment
• work is no longer where we go; it is what we do
• walls & doors are replaced by blurred boundaries
• this environment is organized more by thoughts and strategies than by proximity
• Impact on work• Technology solutions• Tips & considerations
the work environment
Basic structure of the workplace is relationships. Work gets done through relationships.
Adapted from M. Schrage, No More Teams
• Changed workflows
• Changed relationships
• Demands rethinking, reshaping & balancing the dynamics of working relationships
Communication
Implications
• Managers & leaders have expanded scope of influence & perspective
• Initiatives, priorities & political support have a wider audience• Organizational “knowledge” (know what’s going on) &
understanding of dynamics influencing strategies is broader
• Teams have more diversity & broader talent pool• More team members, possibly changing regularly, from different
functions
• Employees tend to be more motivated & engaged• Appreciative flexibility• More committed & align personal commitments to performance
goals
Implications
• Managers’ focus shifts from activities to deliverables– Allows time for attention on “overview” rather than details– Most importantly allows for more strategic thinking, political
& relationship building, & build market strength
• Allows managers to have collegial authority– Mobile employees excel with effective collaborative
relationships– Managers who model collaboration & effectiveness increase
employees’ respect & their own positional power
Top Ten Strategies for Managers of Mobile Workers by Terrency Gargiulo, www.makingstories.net
Implications• It’s a change
– A change in how managers functions, and how employees function
– It takes time to put new processes & performance practices & measurements in place
• Productivity may decrease– At first ---- and then level out & increase– It takes time
• Managers must learn to influence rather than direct
• Project management is critical
• So is information sharing
Technology as an enabler
• It’s not “there” yet, but it getting “there” faster than we realize
– Watch what teens & the under 30 crowd are doing– They aren’t afraid of technology
• Read Don Tapscott’s Grown up Digital – Their norms include freedom, speed, customization &
innovations– They use technology very differently than the over 30 crowd
• What technologies are critical?– Web conferencing; shared document space; instant messaging;
phone; voice enablement; email
Technology enablers
• Email & document spaces (blogs, wikis) are the “pillars”– Use to document the “meaty, formal” stuff– Back up confirmation after meetings, phone convo’s
• Groupware for sharing schedules, documents– Google docs, groups, soon wave
• Phone, voice– Combined with a webcam – next best thing to being there
• Instant messaging to Blackberry Messenger to iChat– The watercooler – “did you see this?” “how should I do this?”
convo
Some of my favourites
• - Yuuguu http://www.yuuguu.com/– Remote sharing of documents & desktops– Remote support– Online meetings & presentations– Instant messaging
• Skype www.skype.com– Phone to phone or computer to computer– Instant messaging– Webcaming– Callgraph.com or digital recorders
• Blackberry – “documents to go”
Invisibility
• Communication 101• high % of messages transmitted via body language
• Out of sight is out of mind• honest oversights lead to undermining of trust, productivity &
performance• fewer opportunities for management feedback
Challenges
Isolation & Overwork
• Working & behavioural preferences– extraverts, “people who need people”
• High tech does not eliminate the need for high touch & interactions with human beings
– must be factored in for some people
• Potential for increased burn-out– longer hours– difficulty in separating office & home lives“Work is always there. I can hear the phone, my messenger is
buzzing….I’d better keeping checking email.”
Challenges
Procrastination
• Dealing with distractions– goes hand-in-hand with overwork & burn-out– Digital drop-in’s
• Self-motivator extraordinaire– individuals must:
• institute routines• maintain momentum• keep connected with processes & co-workers
• Self-disciplined to “get on with it” & “get off of it”
Challenges
Maintaining focus
• Working hard, working steadily, but in the right direction?
• Delicate art of keeping a vision in front of people you can’t see
“I sometimes feel like I’m herding cats…”Veteran Virtual Team Leader
Challenges
Solutions
– Recognize that virtual relationships take longer to develop• “conversations” & virtual water coolers must be explicit & supported
– Establish & enforce clear ground rules & norms for shared work space & processes
• what’s our acceptable turn-around time for returning e-mails? Responding to chat messages? Checking documents?
– Actively seek opportunities to increase understanding of each other, provide feedback & build trust
How do you build trust?
• You are available or respond asap
• You treat sensitive issues sensitively & recognize that everyone has a different level of sensitivity
• You avoid sarcasm & communication that can backfire
• Managers:– visit employees on their turf– go to bat for the budget for technology & travel– keep the norms & insist that all members do
Use the technology to build the team
• Team members introduce themselves via presentations about themselves
• Host Thursday or Friday “happy hours” on chat/phone to share weekend plans or just talk
• Every email or document has a specific subject line regarding the topic
Trust is the bandwidth of communication
K.E. Sveiby
Experience teaches us the managers:• Work a lot
• Travel a lot
• Thrive on their work & on engaging their staff
• Model collaboration – asking for help, offering ideas, instant messaging
• Are available – blogs to keep them visible; IM, txt, phone…
• Are patient
• Are reliable“How to Manage Employees in Remote Locations,” BNET.com 9/24/2007
Experience teaches us the members:
•Self-disciplined
•Strong communicators
•Good collaborators
•Organized– Document work well Are you ready to
work virtually?
Experience teaches us that all involved:
•Aware of & respectful of other’s working & communication styles & cultural differences
•Aware & respectful of your own preferences, tendencies, strengths & weaknesses, whether you are extroverted or introverted
•Comfortable with technology
•Confident
• Intuitive
Do you WANTto??