LET’S DO IT ON TEAMS
For “Teams” read Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Face Time, and any other technology which might allow us to “jump on a call”.
Yuck.
“Let’s do it on Teams” was the sentence that caused my client to leave her organisation. Not physically (yet), but psychologically.
An extremely senior, dedicated and long-serving member of that organisation, she had recently and narrowly failed to land the very top job
Life was now going to unfold in a quite different way from that she had imagined. And hoped.
But some good news at least. She was going to be given some feedback.
The “Let’s do it at 4.30 on Friday afternoon” bit wasn’t the bit that finished her.
It was the “Let’s do it on Teams”.
It was not as if they worked on different continents. Corridors? Well maybe. Maybe not even that. And just to be clear, this was not about social distancing. Well, not in that sense…
It was the lack of appreciation, empathy and (quite simply) time implicit in the remote contact that did for her. I’m pretty sure she didn’t bother with jumping on that particular call.
As a new father, I can remember trying to read the sports pages of the newspaper whilst holding an infant who clearly wanted (really wanted) more of my attention.
And a well-meaning older and wiser relation telling me that “The most important thing you can give your children is time, Martin”.
Point well made. I put the paper down.
Same goes for many of the people we work with, and who work for us. They need our time.
If we are going to have strong workplace relationships, we need to invest our time in them.
Even when, and perhaps especially when, that person has just had some bad news.
What stops us doing this?
Well, I was reading the sports pages because I had (as yet) failed to recognise how life had changed, and my priorities needed to change with it.
Sometimes it’s a lack of empathy. And a sense that “my time is too important for this”.
And just occasionally, let’s be honest, it’s cowardice
“I don’t really want to do this, so I’ll make it as quick and remote as possible. Maybe an email would do? Or let’s do it on Teams”.
Strong relationships require time.
So let’s not consign them to 4.30 calls on Friday. On Teams. Or any other way.
FANCY A SLIGHTLY LONGER READ?
Maybe try one or more of the books
