{"id":17464,"date":"2017-08-03T13:29:40","date_gmt":"2017-08-03T11:29:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.targettraining.eu\/?p=17464"},"modified":"2018-06-06T12:29:16","modified_gmt":"2018-06-06T10:29:16","slug":"losing-mind-deserted-island-challenges-working-virtually","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.targettraining.eu\/de\/losing-mind-deserted-island-challenges-working-virtually\/","title":{"rendered":"Losing my mind on a deserted island: My challenges of working virtually"},"content":{"rendered":"

No, I don\u2019t think I am really losing my mind, but some days I feel like it.\u00a0 As Head of Sales for Target Training I work virtually each day. This means that I am working at clients\u2019 offices, on a train or at home in my office.\u00a0 I am constantly emailing, messaging, phoning and videoconferencing with my colleagues.\u00a0 There are weeks where I don\u2019t see any of my colleagues in person.\u00a0I love the flexibility and autonomy of working virtually. There are a lot of advantages and it fits my lifestyle.\u00a0 This way of working is becoming the norm for many professionals and with it come challenges. The key is to make sure you address the challenges before they start to affect your, and your team\u2019s productivity.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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I was in a client meeting a few weeks back discussing a virtual teams training project<\/a> with a department leader.\u00a0 We were looking into his team\u2019s struggles in an effort to customize our training approach.\u00a0 During our talk, he used the phrase \u2018\u2026with everyone working on their own little deserted island..\u2019<\/em> \u00a0when he was discussing his virtual team spread over 5 countries.\u00a0 It struck me as a great analogy and got me thinking about my team.<\/p>\n

So, I took a few minutes and wrote down the biggest challenges I personally face when working virtually.\u00a0 I recommend doing the same as the exercise helped me raise awareness of what is happening and what I can do to improve things.\u00a0 I had quite a long list after 10 minutes, but here are the three main struggles I thought I\u2019d share:<\/p>\n

1. Trust<\/h2>\n

Trusting the people that you work with is essential.\u00a0 Without trust; conflict, misunderstanding and communication breakdowns occur.\u00a0 In my opinion, trust is something that comes from two people investing in their working relationship.\u00a0 This can be purely professional or a mix of personal and professional.\u00a0 Trust can mean different things to different people, but I think most people would agree that it is easier to build when you see someone face to face on a regular basis.\u00a0 You don\u2019t always have that luxury when working in dispersed teams.\u00a0 Building trust takes more effort and work.\u00a0 What can you do to build trust in your virtual teams? <\/a><\/p>\n

2. Email etiquette<\/h2>\n

Love them or hate them, emails aren\u2019t going anywhere no matter what you might have heard or read. Emails can be a great way to quickly distribute information all over the world to a number of people.\u00a0 They can also easily offend, frustrate and demotivate colleagues due to the smallest word, phrase or omission of something.\u00a0 When you don\u2019t have the ability to see someone face to face when communicating, you need to make sure your message and tone reflect what you are trying to say.\u00a0 Even then, the reader may interpret things differently based what is happening on their \u2018deserted island\u2019 that particular day.\u00a0 What should you do?\u00a0 Use the phone when in doubt and establish some email rules for your virtual teams.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Unnecessary virtual meetings\/calls<\/h2>\n

There are different opinions out there on whether to have weekly catch up meetings scheduled or not, regardless of urgent discussion points. In my opinion, the fewer the calls the better.\u00a0 My schedule changes quickly and needs to flexible to accommodate client demands. \u00a0So, when I see a weekly call on my calendar I look at it as a barrier to productivity, unless it is about something to move a project forward.\u00a0 What can your team do instead of the weekly teleconferences?<\/a><\/p>\n

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As a kid, I used to fantasize about being on my own deserted island and doing what I wanted, the way I wanted, every day. That is my current reality, minus the beach. Working virtually is reality for most us and taking a few steps to improve our communication and relationships goes a long way. Give a few of the tips included in the links above a try and see how it goes!<\/p>\n

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FOR MORE INFORMATION<\/h2>\n

Read more on virtual teams<\/a> on our blog. Or download our popular eBook below.<\/p>\n

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I love the flexibility and autonomy of working virtually. There are a lot of advantages and it fits my lifestyle. 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