Get to the Point!
Managing Remote Projects is Suddenly Essential By Lori Marra, Senior Consultant at RGI International According to a study published by Regus, an international company that provides flexible workspace, prior to our now pandemic world, 54% of their global respondents confirmed that people were already working remotely 2.5 days a week or more. (regus.ca/workcanada/the-workplace-revoluttion) In our pandemic world, virtually everyone is working remotely, and this will most likely accelerate the acceptance of a more remote workforce in our post-pandemic world economy. How can we bring some order to this sudden surge of remote collaboration? Even more importantly, how can we successfully manage our projects when they have suddenly all become remote projects? Projects managers must manage a given set of resources to complete a project. In recent years, remote teams have been a part of these resources but not exclusively. Today, and for an unforeseen future, virtually all of our teams are remote. So, remote collaboration and communication take on increased importance. Project managers manage people, activities and costs to complete a project. This article focuses on the people side of this equation and also addresses how to create a professional image in a remote environment. Through seamless remote communication methods, leaders can get people to • • • •
work well together, even though they are apart, create collaborative work environments that are open to everyone, encourage people to share mistakes or unforeseen obstacles and, react quickly to issues even when we are apart.
Here are some approaches successful project managers have used: 1. Create common data shares using tools. 2. Agree upon standard protocols for remote 18 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER JUNE 2020
communication, and ensure that people talk frequently and get to know one another. 3. Create collaborate work environments that are open to everyone. 4. Schedule informal remote gatherings: • Lunch hours or lunch and learns • Trivia gatherings • Coffee chats • Happy hours • “Open door” policy for quick check-ins 5. Hold daily check-in meetings to review any issues. 6. Create a common, central log book for documenting items. 7. Show empathy and understanding when things don’t go as planned. 8. Agree on a common communication channel for emergencies. 9. Delegate authority to react with different people in different time zones. 10. Allow brainstorming to develop accountability and shared solutions Working remotely often means working from home and with that comes a much more relaxed persona. It’s important that you don’t become sloppy and create an unprofessional image. Whether you are a leader or an individual contributor, be aware of • Cutting the background clutter • Using nonverbal queues • Being aware of your audience’s needs • Learning the online tools and using the interactive features • Communicating effectively
Cutting the background clutter
This doesn’t mean you don’t have anything behind you but make sure it is professional. Your audience will be distracted by looking at the “stuff” behind you. Position yourself so your face is in the middle of the screen.
Using nonverbal queues
Nearly 70% of communication happens non-verbally and get to the point
