Month: February 2019

How to Meet Coworkers When you Join a Remote Team

You Can Learn to Meet People When You Can’t See People


Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

In the modern workforce, the quality of your professional relationships can determine whether you complete tasks efficiently or get bogged down in minutia. While building and maintaining good working relationships can be a challenge in any office, they can be doubly challenging in a distributed company.

How do you learn to trust someone if you’ve never seen their face? Remote workers do not bump into each other in the hallway. We can’t rely on the company potluck to meet the new person in accounting. If our organizations shift and we find ourselves working in new roles or with new teams, we may not even know the names of everyone we will interact with–at least initially.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to meet new (or new to you) coworkers. This is true even if your company lacks a formal introduction process. Here’s an approach that has consistently worked for me over the last eight years.

Don’t Wait for People to Come to You

Assume that you have to be the one to take the first step. There are a host of reasons why your new colleagues might not reach out to you. Perhaps they wish to avoid overwhelming the new person. Others may feel awkward emailing a stranger. If your company has just reorganized itself, your colleagues may be overwhelmed by the change or waiting to see what happens next.

You may also feel awkward reaching out to strangers, but your work still needs to get done. The sooner you develop a sense of how to best work together, the better. If you want to be included in the informal information exchanges that will help you succeed in your remote job, then make time to meet people as soon as possible.

Ask for an Introduction

Ideally, your boss will act as your bridge to the rest of the company. Most managers will introduce you to the people on your immediate team. Your manager’s personality, work load, and number of connections will influence whether they introduce you to anyone outside the immediate team. They may simply expect you to interact with everyone else in the course of your duties.

If your manager is in the latter camp, ask him or her to introduce you to people via email. Your boss doesn’t have to know the person–the simple act of having your manager send the email gives you some legitimacy when you follow up.

This works particularly well if the person you need to meet outranks you. I recently started doing work that affected a new (to me) team, and this is exactly what my boss did. This gave me the chance to meet a director I didn’t know and start the relationship off on the right foot.

There may be some situations where your manager can’t introduce you to your new colleagues. Perhaps your boss is new to the company. Perhaps there’s an unfortunate history between your manager and that person. In these cases it’s best to see if someone else in your network can send an introductory email.

If you don’t have someone to introduce you to your new colleague, be prepared to introduce yourself. Remember, in the remote workforce no one can see you squirm. You may feel weird taking the first step, but no one can see that in your email. In fact, your colleagues will probably be grateful that you got the ball rolling.

Pretexts I have Used to Introduce Myself to Someone

  • The other person was just promoted.
  • I saw them copied on an email chain and came up with a plausible a follow up question.
  • Someone in my network mentioned that the person and I share a common interest.

If you’re looking for it, any contact can be used as a pretext to start talking to people.

Schedule a Video Meeting

While it’s possible to develop a good working relationship via email and instant message, you’ll get quicker, more reliable results if you add in a video meeting. I usually send an email that says something along the lines of ‘Hi ______, we’re going to be working together pretty closely. I would love to schedule 20 minutes so we can get to know each other a little and talk through how we can best work together.’

This approach leaves little room for a polite refusal. Some of your coworkers may come to the meeting and give the impression that they aren’t sure why they’re there. Here’s the thing I’ve noticed in the eight years that I’ve used this approach. Even the people who don’t think they need to see people face to face act more friendly toward you after they’ve seen your face. So go to those meetings secure in the knowledge that you’ve accomplished 70% of your end goal simply by getting the other person into the (video) room.

You may want to use a softer approach for people who don’t interact with you daily. For those folks I wait until I have a legitimate question I can ask, and finish the (email or instant message) conversation with ‘I’d love to meet some time when you have a moment.’ That way the person is free to ignore the request if they so desire. I make a note to try again after some time has passed.

What to Talk About in Your Video Meeting

Use that twenty minute meeting to ask a mix of personal and logistical questions:

  • How long as this person worked for the company?
  • Have they held different roles?
  • Where is their home office is located?
  • What time zone do they work in?
  • What are their usual work hours?

These things don’t always line up. For example, I have a coworker who lives in Pacific time and works on Eastern time. Do they prefer to get instant messages or emails? Are there things they need from me before they can complete certain tasks? Find some way to remember this information. I usually write it down.

During the course of your conversation, your colleague may mention other people that are affected by the work you do. Ask if your colleague can send an email introducing you to that person. Then ask that person for a meeting.

Meeting New Coworkers Gets Easier With Practice

Working from home doesn’t have to mean working in isolation. Meeting remote coworkers is a skill that anyone can learn. With practice, you will get better at making those connections. If you’re patient and willing to take charge of the situation, you will soon get to know the people you work with every day.

What Makes a Successful Remote Worker? Interview with Roberta Sawatzky

There may not be a magic formula for succeeding as a remote worker, but there are certain competencies that can increase your chances of success.


Roberta Sawatzky is a business consultant who guides her clients and readers through career development, change, and transition, with an added focus on remote work. In addition to her role as a consultant, Roberta is a Business Professor in the Okanagan School of Business in Kelowna, BC, Canada

I first met Roberta in a Slack channel devoted to discussions around distributed teams. When I found out that she had just completed some research around remote worker competencies, I knew I had to interview her for the blog. You can get a copy of her full report HERE.

Why did you decide to research remote worker competencies?

I care deeply about helping people realize their greatest potential, specifically in their working environment. Having worked in the areas of management and human resources in a variety of sectors (for profit, not-for-profit, academia, public sector), I saw the importance of supporting, developing, and providing valuable feedback to my team members.

I was also involved with an organization who provided notification services to employees being terminated. It never ceased to amaze me how many employees were surprised at receiving their notice, and reported having had very limited, if any, professional development offered, or feedback on their performance. When I considered how common this was in collocated organizations, when employees and employers were face to face on a daily basis, it caused me to wonder how much more epidemic the lack of support would be in a context where personal interaction and physical presence was rare.

Thus began the research to first seek out what was necessary for success as a remote worker, what feedback looked like, and what support was desired…all from the perspective of the remote worker.

Are there remote-worker specific competencies?

I would suggest that there are some common competencies between remote and collocated workers, however, the level of proficiency necessary in each competency is higher for remote that collocated.

Were you looking at things that would help remote workers do a good job, things that would help them to be happy in their job, or a little bit of both?

The simple answer is yes. Competencies by definition are the knowledge, skills and abilities a person should possess in order to successfully perform their job. If we can identify what those competencies are, and build a recruitment and selection process around them…right down to the interview questions, the likelihood of both job success and job satisfaction is greatly increased.

Was there anything that surprised you about what you discovered?

I’m not sure that I was as much surprised as overwhelmed by the honesty and passion with which the research respondents shared their opinions, joys, and challenges. These are a group of hard working, dedicated people who are totally committed to doing their best.

Probably what saddened me the most were the number of people who reported total lack of support from their managers or supervisors (to be sure, over the course of the research I met, and hear about some amazing managers that others could learn a great deal from). While some are simply negligent, I would suggest the majority simply don’t know how to manage in the remote world. What works in a face to face setting doesn’t necessarily translate into a virtual setting.

Is there any quality that guarantees success as a remote worker?

Guarantees? I would not go that far. However, possessing the competencies revealed in the research certainly will raise the likelihood of success. The one competency that was reported by 100% of respondents was communication. That includes all forms of communication as in verbal, written, and non-verbal, as well as the ability to discern the most appropriate channel for the needed communication, and taking the responsibility to make sure the message you have ‘sent’ has been received as intended. If it wasn’t, then make it right.

Do you think people can learn these competencies if they don’t have them now?

Absolutely. Some people may naturally possess higher levels of certain competencies, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t continue to develop them. Those who are not so strong can grow as well. That being said. I am a strong believer in knowing and operating from your strengths. We all have them, and we need each other to bring out the best of those strengths.

Remote work is not for everyone. Many factors come in to play, not the least of which is the simple desire that some people have to surround themselves with co-workers…and there is nothing wrong with that. Individuals considering remote work should do a serious self-evaluation. Ask themselves, ask those who know them well (and will be honest with them), ask supervisors…anyone that they trust, to provide feedback on how they would rate their ability in each of the top competencies revealed in the research. Ask for examples, for specifics. Use that input to determine a fit for remote work. It’s also important to keep in mind that some people have no choice but to work remote…I do believe that with the right support, they will survive, and even thrive.

The competencies that were identified in the research are as follows…listed in order of importance as reported by 250 remote workers.

  1. Communication
  2. Self-directed/motivated
  3. Trustworthy
  4. Disciplined
  5. Taking initiative/curious
  6. Adaptable/flexible
  7. High self-efficacy

A big thank you to Roberta for sharing her research and findings. Don’t forget to download the full report. If you would like to see what else Roberta is working on, you can follow her blog at www.ProbeandPonder.com. You can also find her on LinkedIn and Twitter, and on her website.

Not All Remote Employees Have Trouble With Work/Life Balance

Remote employees are more successful balancing work and life if their managers do the same.

Sometimes the Company is the Problem


Photo by Jefferson Santos on Unsplash

Before my husband started working at his present place of employment, the interviewer highlighted the firm’s pro work/life balance stance. Unlike the majority of architecture firms, this one did not require long hours at the office. This sounded good, but we took it with a grain of salt.

Wanting to appear keen, my husband showed up early on his first day of work. Hardly anyone was there. Still wanting to appear keen, he attempted to stay late to work on his first project. The work day ends at 5:30, and at 5:45 someone came around to tell him that he might want to wrap it up because all of the lights in the building turn off at 6pm.

Everyone in that office knows how to operate a light switch. In theory, then, an employee could turn the lights back on and keep working. However, the senior partners were sending a clear message. You don’t have to go home, but we don’t want you to stay here. And people don’t.

When Is It Safe to Log Off for the Day?

I’ve worked remotely for eight years, and I’ll admit that I fight a tendency to work long hours. There have been some years when I’ve consistently worked past the time when I should have logged off for the day. Generally, this isn’t because I lacked the discipline to overcome this tendency. I also fight the tendency to buy too much yarn or eat cupcakes for dinner. I have plenty of experience overcoming these urges. Just as I can skip the cupcakes in favor of a vegetable curry, I have the ability to log off from my remote job and spend time with my family. The question that any worker–remote or not–has to answer is, when does it feel safe to log off of work?

For employees, work is a power arrangement. Our ability to pay rent, feed our kids, and buy necessities depends on a regular paycheck. Most of us are exquisitely sensitive to whether we are working “enough” to keep our jobs.

My husband’s company has an unambiguous way to demonstrate when its employees cross the ‘you’ve worked enough’ threshold. Managers in distributed teams have to find other ways to demonstrate when it’s safe to log off. Let’s consider a few possibilities.

How Leadership Can Communicate When It’s Safe to Log Off


Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash

Celebrate different schedules. One of the joys of a remote office is its flexibility. Alternative schedules shouldn’t be reserved solely for working mothers or part-time caregivers. Senior leaders could make a point of working an alternate schedule a few times a month, and share what they do during their flex time. Something as simple as sharing pictures from your walk on the company Slack channel demonstrates that employees can use flex time to enjoy life.

Turn the metaphorical lights off. In the remote workforce, no one can see you leave. If you are a people manager, consider making it a practice to tell your team when you leave for the day. Something as simple as ‘I’ve put in my eight hours, I’ll see you all tomorrow,’ communicates your definition of a work day.

Use your vacation days. Nothing says ‘it’s okay to stop working’ quite like demonstrating that you expect people to use–really use–their vacation days. How do you demonstrate this? My director makes a point of taking occasional half days, in addition to full weeks of vacation. He tells his team that we can call him on his personal cell if there’s an emergency, but otherwise he will be away from his computer. How often do you unplug from your job? Your team knows the answer to this question.

Craft a coverage plan for your team. My boss reminds us when we’re getting close to major holidays or the summer months, and asks us to get our vacation requests in so he can coordinate coverage. Our team coverage plans assume that we won’t contact the person on vacation. Consider how you can do the same on your team. If a member of your team were suddenly hospitalized, you would find a way to cover for him or her. Do the same for someone on vacation.

No company can solve all of its employees’ work/life balance problems. However, leadership CAN model a healthy flexibility, and clearly demonstrate that it’s safe to log off for the day. That way, employees can focus on building the cues they need to end work on time without worrying that doing so will jeopardize their jobs. This leads to better outcomes for both the company and the employee.

Can you think of other ways distributed companies can demonstrate livable hours? I would love to hear about it in the comments.

2 Things I Wish I Had Known Before Publishing a Book


Photo by Ksenia Makagonova on Unsplash

I was talking with a fellow author today about where we are in the publishing process. My book came out a few months before hers, so we’re both in the thick of the new book activities.

We’re getting many things done, but writing on other long term projects isn’t one of them. I touched on this lightly in the article ‘How to (Successfully) Write a Book as a Team‘ that I wrote for the Writer’s Cooperative on Medium, but these specific issues deserve their own post, so here it is.

You’re Not Done When the Book Gets Published

Writing a book is a monumental task. If you finish writing a book, go celebrate. If your book gets published, celebrate even more. I celebrated by signing up for a weaving class because I’m cool like that. You do you.

Once you’ve had your victory lap it’s time to move into the next phase of the book publication process: getting the word out about your book. Ideally you’ll have your author platform in place before your book is ready to buy. If you haven’t, it isn’t too late to start.

In October 2018, Publisher’s Weekly stated that “the number of self-published books topped the 1 million mark for the first time in 2017.’ Add in books published by micro-presses and traditional publishing houses, and the number is even larger. If you want to be seen in the vast sea of published books, become your book’s advocate.

It’s Hard to Mess Up Your Author Platform

Running taught me that discomfort isn’t an emergency. When you’re reaching for that next big distance, your body is going to feel tired and uncomfortable and that’s okay. It will adapt. Turns out that the same goes for learning how to position yourself as an expert.

I agonized over every little detail at the beginning. I procrastinated about coming back to writing this blog, and creating my Facebook author page because I was worried about getting it right. Turns out no one was watching me. And when I finally did have readers, most of those first readers were friends and family (hi friends and family!). They aren’t a hostile audience.

Once I let go and began posting regularly, I started noticing that other were also talking about remote work and distributed teams. It’s been rewarding listening to what they have to say. Joining the conversation has also led to some interesting opportunities in the near future. It’s even given me my next big research topic. Will this turn into another book? I don’t know. I do know that I wouldn’t have thought of the topic if I hadn’t been participating in discussions online.

I’ve learned a lot in the months after the publication of the ‘Secrets of the Remote Workforce’ book. But if you’re a writer looking for advice, this would be mine. Start your author platform, understand you’ll be working at it over the long haul, and keep your eyes open for new opportunities. Your next book may just find you.

Knitting Bender

When the Tough Can’t Run, They Knit


Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Saturday I was supposed to run a half marathon. I hurt my foot a week before the race, two days after my ten mile run of fun. I wish I could tell you what I did, but we’re still figuring that out. All I know is that I didn’t tear a ligament, and I haven’t broken anything.

Am I upset? Yes. Not as much as I was Saturday, but yes. I didn’t run very much last year because my daughter gave me a concussion in the spring of 2017. She didn’t mean to. She is always very sorry when she hurts me, but that doesn’t change the fact that the child has been banging her head into mine from babyhood on. At six months old she knocked my front teeth loose.

After that first memorable whack, she’s specialized in hits to the chin, which throws my neck out. This is why I keep my chiropractor on speed dial. The poor man was half way convinced I was part of a fight club. That’s code for ‘I worry someone is hurting you.’ I am beyond grateful to him for having the courage to ask. It turns out that my nine year old is the one hitting me. While it’s sometimes debilitating, it isn’t abuse–but he didn’t know that. I might have needed help getting out of a situation, and he was willing to help.

Future photo of my ninja daughter.
Photo by Sarah Cervantes on Unsplash

In any event, it was a bad concussion. I was banned from all screens, all reading, and any exercise over a slow shamble, for two weeks. I couldn’t run for a month. And once I could run, I had to start very conservatively lest I suffered a relapse.

2018 was the year I returned to health. It’s been slow–it turns out that sitting on a couch not doing anything is a signal that my body should start breaking spontaneously–but I’ve gradually regained most of my endurance. I even started strength training semi-regularly. I can’t sign up for a half marathon every three months the way I used to, but Saturday’s half was going to be the signal that I was almost there. A symbol of good things to come.

I’m trying not to think about how long this injury might take to heal. I have two main coping mechanisms–knitting and running. On the down side, this means I’ve (temporarily) lost 50% of my coping skills. On the up side, I have finished a sweater, a pair of boot socks, and I have another pair of socks on the way. Some people go on drinking benders. I go on fiber benders. And the knitting will continue until morale (and my foot) improves.