BE ADAPTABLE, BE RESILIENT—IN YOUR OWN WAY

By Paul DiMarco, VP of Organizational Development, VGM Group, Inc.

What does remote working mean for you? Maybe it’s business as usual. Perhaps you’re now working from home more than you did before. Or is it a whole new ballgame that you’re struggling to get used to?

It’s different for all of us. Some of us are working from home offices, kitchen tables, or our sofas. Many of us are combining work with trying to settle children down to schoolwork. Some of us are busier than ever or worrying about our spouse/significant other/parents/ siblings.

Yes, these are uncertain times. But that’s not to say it’s all darkness—what I’ve heard and experienced by talking to many of you is that there is a LOT being learned by all of us. Individually and as a group, we are extremely resilient, adapting to new environments and processes (work and personal) to continue to perform at a high level.

[ There are three elements that need to be present for a dispersed team to succeed: trust, support, and a sense of belonging. ]

There are three elements that need to be present for a dispersed team to succeed: trust, support, and a sense of belonging. Of course, the current situation has made us all consider anew what remote working can— and should—feel like at its most successful state. Our resilience has allowed us to see the opportunities that remote work offers, even though the circumstances might be uniquely difficult to navigate. You might recognize some of these next attributes in yourself.

[ For those who worked remotely prior to this, there can be a sense of relief and balance being restored. ]

Finally, They Understand!

For those of you who worked remotely from your team prior to this, there can be a sense of relief and balance being restored. Being the only remote worker can be hard. You can feel disconnected from projects, team meetings, and decisions that are made in the moment. But suddenly the entire team is remote, projects are discussed widely on calls, and team meetings include everyone’s voice being heard more often.

For these people, this improvement in relationships can mean a boost to morale. There is a sense that people finally understand the difficulty of constantly dialing into meetings, the intensity of team conference calls and video meeting fatigue, and the very real sense of dislocation.

Relationships Are the Key

People who are still coming to grips with remote working are frustrated by many things, such as managing tech and finding a quiet workspace at home, but their eyes are also being opened to something else—the power of one-on-one relationships in a new era.

“I’ve slowed down a bit during Team video chats in order to take the time to really hear and understand what the other person was saying. I could sense they appreciated it”

With no office distractions, suddenly much of the disruptive noise around us is diminished. We can only focus on the person on our screen—their voice, their pace, their body language, and what animates them during conversation. We can take so much from those clues—how our colleagues like to work, what their home surroundings are like, what they’re dealing with as they try to concentrate, and what brings a smile to their face.

[ Creating improved relationships will create the conditions for first-class communication and collaboration. ]

Being open to this information and adapting accordingly helps build relationships amongst our team differently than when we are all together in the office. Focusing on the individual enhances our understanding of them as well as improving our own self-awareness. Creating these improved relationships will create the conditions for first-class communication and collaboration.

The New Normal?

“I’m like a kid at Christmas who has discovered his presents. I’m amazed by what you can do virtually. I still want other people around, though!”

For those of us who may see remote working becoming a big part of our future, you might feel unanchored by the familiar routines of office life. Or you may feel vindicated—you’ve been telling your manager that remote working is the way forward for so long!

[ The benefit of remote working is that we have all embraced and exhibited human resilience. ]

What I see as the benefit of remote working is that we have all embraced and exhibited human resilience. Resilience is talked about a lot, but it always seems like a topic that we don’t want to experience. We instinctively reach out to each other in good times and bad. We use human relationships to get things done in collaborative ways, and we want to understand ourselves and others better so that we can enjoy our working relationships a bit more. All of this has been enhanced during this period of resilience.

During this time of adaptability and resilience, there is an opportunity to build strong and healthy relationships with each other which will offer us all a sense of community that’s lacking in some of the usual ways. This goes for work relationships and personal relationships. If you’re going to do one thing differently today, this week, or this year, make it your mission to be adaptable. Be resilient—in your own way.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul DiMarco, VP of Organizational Development, VGM Group, Inc.

Paul DiMarco is VP of Organizational Development for VGM Group, Inc. His focus is on defining the overall growth and development opportunities for all of VGM’s employees across all industries. Paul’s background in sales, sales management, and digital marketing provided a foundation for his roles at VGM. Prior to his current position, Paul was President of VGM Education, VP of VGM Marketing, and Operations Manager at VGM Forbin. A Mason City, Iowa, native and University of Minnesota Mankato graduate, Paul stays active with his community, church, and extended family. Paul and his wife, Lynda, have two sons, Mike who is 30 and Nick, who is 28. Connect with Paul via email at Paul.DiMarco@vgm.com or follow him on LinkedIn.