Building trust in digital workplaces
Are you finding it harder to build TRUST AND COLLABORATION in our now 100% digital work world? Even before the pandemic, about 70% of collaboration happened virtually, through email, phone calls, etc. Now with non-stop video meetings, you have so many fewer CUES for your brain to interpret. You generally can’t see BODY LANGUAGE on video calls, just someone’s face and sometimes even that is pretty small when in gallery view. With our digital world, it’s even more important to be THOUGHTFUL about how you are interacting with colleagues to build and maintain trust and true collaboration.
A few typical problems I’m hearing from clients and ideas to help:
Issue #1: NO REAL COLLABORATION: In a meeting, know that once the 1st extrovert has given his opinion, it’s less likely that subsequent speakers will share a different viewpoint. To make sure you are getting diversity of thought, ask a question and then ask participants to put initial thoughts in the chat. To take it a step further, ask the person whose opinion was in the minority to elaborate. You can also let people know that they can follow up with you via email until the end of the week if they had other ideas come up. This allows the introverts to feel comfortable contributing.
Issue #2: RADIO SILENCE FROM A STAKEHOLDER (colleague, client, vendor, etc): Be aware that some individuals are TECHNOLOGY NATIVES who are very comfortable using various modes of virtual communication; and others are TECHNOLOGY ADAPTERS who tend to prefer phone calls. This is not always based on age, as I know people older than me who are proficient with social media and other forms of virtual communication and younger individuals who are not comfortable with it. Choose the COMMUNICATION VEHICLE that most resonates with the person you are trying to connect with.
Issue #3: MISINTERPRETED MESSAGES: THINK BEFORE YOU TYPE and try to be super clear with your message. This is especially important if you are leading a team – any request made via email, IM, or text may be interpreted as urgent by team members. Come up with your shorthand during this virtual work period; perhaps “4h” for 4-hour turnaround or “2D” for a 2-day deadline included in the subject line to help LEVEL SET EXPECTATIONS. Also be thoughtful about emoji and punctuation use. Did you know a period at the end of a text can be interpreted as standoffish? An exclamation mark can be misinterpreted as screaming when you really meant to show excitement? And a smiley emoji when used by a person in power can show warmth, but if used by someone without authority can come off as childish? These are not hard and fast rules, but be thoughtful about how your message will land. 😀
Take good care, Bijal
The intent of these emails is to provide different perspectives, ideas, and insights as you navigate the path forward for yourself, your team, your organization, and your family.
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Bijal Choksi, MA, CHPC, ACC
720.339.3021 | bijal@huworkteam.com
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