Nothing beats face-to-face interactions when building new relationships. Create at least semi-regular opportunities to get the whole team together and interact in person. For the rest of the time, the richer the media used, the better. Sometimes a voice-only call can be all that is needed. And sometimes, even the dreaded email can get the job done.
To stop online hate get out to meet others in person, talk to those different from you to understand their perspectives, promote fairness in social norms, processes, and procedures, and support educational activities giving fair access to education to everyone.
Emotional intelligence is essential for success, but it may not work for everyone in every situation. The environment and our brain can often prevent even the most emotionally intelligent person from understanding where others are coming from.
When you don’t feel the urge to fill any empty space with noise, you become more attentive to your surroundings and yourself. When you speak, be informative, truthful, relevant, clear, and fair in taking turns. Only then will you have a meaningful and helpful conversation with those around you.
Most things in life are negotiable, and it also applies to salary. The only way to have a good long-term working relationship between you and your employer is to go for a win-win. And that means negotiating fair pay.
Make fact-seeking part of your daily life. Build the habits of critical thinking and checking the data before you rush to conclusions. Stop dramatizing your worldview and see the world for what it is. Not perfect, but getting better.
When building a hybrid workplace, consider the various aspects of distance. It is not only the geographical distance that makes things tricky but also the temporal, perceived, and socio-cultural distance and the team’s configuration. A successful team is the one that can bridge these distances and allow everyone to feel they belong.
Video calls can create a feeling of belonging, but they are also a significant drain on your cognitive abilities and lead to stress. Learn to switch the camera off every now and then, and don’t enforce video on from those who are not comfortable with it.
Communication shouldn’t be efficient. It should be effective. The talking stick is an excellent exercise in both communication and mindfulness. It is inclusive, removes ego, creates respect, and leads to results.
Proactive people don’t wait indefinitely and don’t let others to ignore them. They take the initiative and get things done.
The Geeky Leader 