I was asked to work with a virtual team in the field of drug development at a major pharmaceutical firm. The team members were missing project timelines and overspending their budget. The team included top performers from many disciplines and represented 12 countries in Asia, America, Europe, and Africa. When I observed the team calls,…
Working from home can improve employee productivity and satisfaction and provide substantial cost savings for businesses. But is it right for everyone? Not necessarily. Even organizations with the most successful work from home programs confirm that some individuals work better in an office environment than they do from a home office. What about you? Here…
Whether it is caused by flooding in Alberta, snowstorms in Washington D.C., or fires in California, the need for clear continuity of operations plans (COOP) has brought renewed emphasis on telework and virtual working. Unfortunately, too many organizations jump into telework without a clear understanding of what is necessary for a successful telecommuting initiative. Here…
The more that virtual teams become our normal way of working, the more we realize how difficult it is to build the positive relationships so critical for team success. A face-to-face meeting for team building is best, yet most teams can’t afford that luxury. So how do you build team spirit when you can’t have…
When I talk with clients, I often hear that the main reason they look forward to participating in regularly scheduled virtual meetings is because it’s the best time they have to catch up on their emails. That’s a missed opportunity. Reports can be emailed, updates can be left on voice mail, but conference calls are…
Marissa Mayer’s decision to halt employee telecommuting at Yahoo has unleashed a torrent of controversy around telework, remote work, collaboration, and productivity. For those of us who work at home or remotely, or even in an office, it’s a great time to refocus on what we do—consciously or subconsciously—that looks like work but often isn’t.…
Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo!, is being scrutinized and second-guessed for her decision to not allow employees to work from home starting in June. It’s easy for pundits to take pot shots from afar, but speaking as a manager who has struggled to find the right balance with this same issue, I’ve learned there isn’t…
Telecommuting, virtual teams and remote work have many advantages for organizations and productivity. At the same time virtual workers often have concerns about their lack of recognition and visibility since they aren’t seen at the office every day. What many don’t realize is fewer opportunities means more control over perceptions. When you work in the…
Everyone hates reporting to a micro-manager—those leaders and supervisors who watch an employee’s every move and who always have a better way of doing something. But micro-managing is very appropriate in some cases—for example when an employee is brand new to a task. How can you, as a leader, provide people with the direction and…
Join The Ken Blanchard Companies for a special complimentary webinar and online chat beginning today at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time (12:00 noon Eastern). Senior Consulting Partner Carmela Southers will be speaking on the topic of Leading In A Virtual World. The webinar is free and seats are still available if you would like to join…