Those of us of a certain vintage will remember the band Jamiroquai but it turns out they had it wrong… the future’s (actually) made of virtual “SANITY”…
I maybe stretching the misquote a little (as you now hum the song in your head!); in this sense what I mean by “virtual sanity” is our willingness to make sense of and actively embrace remote working and virtual interactions with others. Of course, the technology has long existed to enable us to do so, but has our virtual competence developed at a similar rate?
One consequence of the Coronavirus outbreak is to shine a stronger light than ever on the need for effective virtual working including meaningful virtual interactions. Many companies are curtailing employee travel for a period of time and we can reasonably expect businesses of all shapes and sizes to see an increase in remote working as one part of a sensible and measured response to minimising the spread of infection and keeping the business cogs turning.
My aim is NOT to scare-monger over Coronavirus. But rather to acknowledge that whilst being proportionate in our response, it does provide a catalyst for improving our virtual working capabilities. This will benefit us all individually and collectively both in the short and long term, positively impacting our work-life balance, driving a more flexible and virtually enabled workforce, delivering environmental upsides and adding value to our businesses.
Imagine, therefore, if your remote working was as effective as your office working, and your virtual interactions become as effective as being face to face…
Whether 1:1 virtual interactions with direct reports, or team meetings with peers, it is possible when we effectively overcome or minimise the barrier of distance. To do so requires:
- Tapping into a positive virtual mindset
- Utilising interpersonal skills appropriately
- Leveraging basic tools and technology that bring virtual working to life
If you want to find out more about how to achieve the above for your business or team please get in touch to explore how our virtual training seminar “Maximising Remote Interactions” can help you.
