In today’s episode we interview Emma Giles, Co-Founder of SoWork. SoWork provides support for virtual teams to push work forward together no matter when, where, or how they work. SoWork is a virtual office wherein team members from across the globe can interact, engage, connect, and collaborate all about work which will greatly help employees as they Team Anywhere.
What Surprised Emma Over the Last 2 Years
According to Emma, there are two things that leaders need to consider. Zooming in, we all feel like we are navigating different challenges every single day. In the new virtual environments–with leaders checking-in frequently and dealing with folks on a regular, virtual basis– they may feel a bit overwhelmed. But zooming out, leaders should realize that those connections and issues can actually be associated with business fundamentals that they have always had to navigate. Checking-in with employees and demonstrating empathy and openness is what leadership experts have been advising for years. Interestingly enough, with the new virtual and hybrid environment, there is no place to hide! Leaders must step-up to activities that they have skirted in the past Leaders need to demonstrate behaviors and connections that ensure all team members have the right information, are properly aligned, share the same mission, communicate, collaborate and be human.
Maintaining the Remote Workspace Culture with SoWork
SoWork is a virtual office space wherein you can interact with fellow team members as avatars. It is likened to playing a video game wherein you can walk your avatar and initiate a video or audio conversation with someone. It also offers a variety of features like displaying messages for specific team members and indicating availability and location. SoWork also has the capability to recreate the physical workspace which adds a level of familiarity. Consequently, SoWork can be used as a vehicle to maintain a remote workspace culture.
High Leverage Tweaks for Business Leaders
Here are Emma’s tips that leaders should adopt that can leverage everyday actions:
- Expose the framework underneath the answers which emphasizes the key principles of running a business.
- Point out the right problems for team members. This is very important to drive the desired results.
- Diagnose the symptoms which can be detrimental to a team’s growth.
- Establish “collaborative team working blocks” for at least 2 hours each week to work on improving performance.
Remote Teams vs. In Person Teams
Who is more efficient, remote teams or in person teams? Emma answered that it really depends on who takes the time to assess the realities of the work environment (in person or remote), and then develops ways to leverage every action to be the most effective it can be. With the right business infrastructure, cadences, work units, and tools, a leader can make BOTH remote and in person teams successful. For example, a heavily distributed team can take advantage of a longer clock. This would mean more hours of work covered every single week.
Who is Emma Giles?
Emma is one of the founders of SoWork, a product that helps digital-first teams do great work, no matter when or where they work. Emma leads product and spends her time working directly with SoWork customers who are leaders of organizations trying to navigate the digital-first work shift. This gives her a unique perspective on how the landscape of work is evolving, what leaders and their teams are struggling with, and how to solve the most pressing challenges with technology.
- LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmakgiles/
- Twitter — https://twitter.com/Emma_K_Giles
- Website — http://sowork.com
Online Courses for Leaders Leading a Team From Anywhere:
Check out these online courses for remote leaders from the Team Anywhere Team.
