The Hybrid Team
We’re creating more and more innovative team structures. Some people are at home, some in the office, some in a remote office, ….
It’s truly exciting as we discover how much work is independent of location.
But the challenge is that not everyone is on an equal footing.
Sure, you did a great job of giving everyone the same tools and scheduling meetings around timezones. You’ve invested in groupware tools and everyone knows how to reach everyone else.
Here’s the problem, and one I experienced decades ago: Face. Time. Matters.
If Susan is able to interact with the boss five times a day, even informally, then she has a huge advantage over Daryl who only has a couple of Zoom calls a week. The boss has a gut feeling that Susan is more available, communicative, and trustable than Daryl is.
And it’s not just for the boss, either. Everyone else on the team tends to place more trust in the people they see most often. It’s human.
Your job is to consciously counteract this tendency. Create more contact with people you don’t see as much, even if it’s casual. Use all the tools at your disposal.
Because, at the end of the day, it’s the total results of the team which matter the most.
I’d love to schedule a one-on-one call with you, to see what you and your team are up to. The call is no cost, no sales pitch – honest. How are you doing on creating your new normal??