“How are you going to rev up?”
Two months left in 2022. Where has it gone so quickly? As we reflect on what’s been accomplished, there’s still plenty of time to reinvigorate and realize our goals.
Speaking to leaders here: Many of you are juggling the best you can. Your teams in particular need reassurance about the stress and uncertainty swirling around.
- Think about how to role model and balance the messages of self-care and well-being for everyone (the less comfortable part of emotional intelligence for some) while clearly addressing the ever-looming performance goals and other elephants in the crowded room.
Some of this added stress has bubbled up with return-to-work ideation. One highlight this year has been working with clients on crafting or remaking strategic hybrid/virtual work plans. Presenting at the Association for Talent Development’s international conference (“Leading the Evolution: From Remote to Strategically Hybrid Workplace Framework”) and engaging with clients on related consulting opportunities cemented for me the need for agility when anticipating the future of work and skill readiness. How do you manage when you don’t know what you don’t know?
If your hybrid or other work plan is place, remember that it needs care and continuous improvement, especially after the initial high points.
- Your team will benefit most from recognition of their individual and collective strengths. While we can’t fully predict how economic headwinds may impact us, you can put your chips now on rewarding and retaining key employees with investments in their development.
- Consider individual or team coaching, new growth opportunities balanced with release from other obligations, networking and professional events, among others.
Those of you leading global virtual teams can understand the pain points related to moving faster and being agile, letting your foot off the brake too soon, and risking the time and effort put into building essential trust and collaboration.
Layering on different geographies, time zones, languages, cultures, personalities, communication styles, self-awareness and other pieces of the puzzle comes with disruptions – and hopefully rewards – that you maybe didn’t realize when you embarked on this assignment.
- Global Collaboration Insights has always been focused on helping leaders accelerate their global virtual team collaboration. We do that by navigating beyond technology across complex emotional and cultural boundaries, and building research-based intelligence and behavior change.
ON THE ROAD
What is GCI revving up for? As we’ve seen with hybrid experiments, there’s a place for occasional in-person connections in mostly virtual work. In fact, research has long been clear that face-to-face meetings (a kickoff, at a minimum) help create immediate interpersonal connections that support ongoing virtual teamwork.
- It’s great to be back on the road soon in Paris, where I’ll attend the Women’s Forum Global Meeting, and in London for a coaching connection.
- In January, I’ll be in Rome and Naples, presenting at the Association for Business Communication’s Europe, Africa and Middle East conference on the topic of “Reframing Hybrid Workplace Dissonance with Emotionally Intelligent Leaders”.
- Are you based in one of these cities or know someone there who needs to talk about creating better global virtual team collaboration? Please reach out and let’s get planning.
FINISH THE YEAR STRONG:
GLOBAL VIRTUAL TEAM LEADER ROUNDTABLE
But first this month, on Tues. Nov. 15 (1:00-2:00 p.m. CT US on Zoom), I’m hosting a special Global Virtual Team Leader Roundtable.
- Do you lead or influence globally-minded virtual teams? This time is for you. It’s a complimentary, interactive, camera-on, casual peer networking and exploration session. Come share your challenges (everyone’s got them) and let’s talk about how to rev up and re-engage our teams to finish 2022 on a high note.
- Register here to reserve one of the limited spaces and please share with your network if someone else should be included.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Where do you want to go from here?
The weeks are zooming by. There’s still limited time to accomplish great things and start looking ahead to 2023. If you’d like to brainstorm, please visit Global Collaboration Insights, email info@gcinsightsgroup.com or click Connect With Us down below. I hope to see you soon, virtually or in person!
Karin Goettsch, Ph.D., PCC, CPTD
Founder and Principal
Global Collaboration Insights
