If you’re already a remote-working member of an established team, then you’ll probably want to jump to chapter 4 for tips on perfecting your game. If you’re definitely going remote and ready to get going, then skip ahead to the Getting Set Up portion ( p. 72) in the next section. For those just considering going remote, keep reading—all of what follows is pertinent to you.
“When my role is to be a virtual team member, I need to be self-motivated, focused, curious, flexible, and, above all, collaborative.”
—MEGHAN M. BIRO, “Telecommuting Is the Future of Work,” Forbes 2
Part of the decision about going remote—whether it’s you who is unsure or you’re worried your boss will be (if you have a boss, that is)—concerns both temperament and skill set. We’ll cover how to convince your boss later on. For now, let’s spend some time thinking about what it takes to work remotely successfully. Even if you’re fully convinced this is the path you want to take—or you feel it’s your only option—try to approach the following with an open mind. You’d be much better off identifying now what temperament and skill sets you could improve upon before you’re actually in the at-home hot seat.
The following sidebar lists the top traits that make for a successful remote worker.
SUCCESSFUL REMOTE WORKERS ARE TECH-SAVVY, NOT TECH-AVERSE. This doesn’t mean you need to know how to replace your motherboard or hack your registry file. It does mean you’re not intimidated by the prospect of figuring out why your audio isn’t working on a Skype call—as well as that you know where to turn if your registry file gets hacked.
SUCCESSFUL REMOTE WORKERS ARE EXCELLENT COMMUNICATORS, especially with written communication. HR consultant Dirk-Jan Padmos points out that “remote working can amplify bad communication,”3 so you’d want to be diligent about how well you phrase what you need to say. Another angle to this is willingness. As is emphasized throughout this book, with remote work overcommunicating isn’t just preferable to undercommunicating—it’s actually ideal. As Intridea/Mobomo’s Kathryn Ottinger puts it: “If you think you’re overcommunicating, you’re doing it right.”4
SUCCESSFUL REMOTE WORKERS HAVE GOOD WORK HABITS. In particular they’re organized, they’re able to prioritize, and they manage their time effectively.
SUCCESSFUL REMOTE WORKERS ARE ABLE TO PROBLEM-SOLVE AND TROUBLESHOOT on their own—and they know when and where to turn if they need extra help.
Employers seek remote workers who are proactive/independent/self-starters. Translating from the HR cheat sheet, that means SUCCESSFUL REMOTE WORKERS ARE BOTH SELF-MOTIVATED AND SELF-SUFFICIENT. As Agile trainer, coach, and advisor Ben Linders puts it: “It takes discipline to do your work when there’s nobody there telling you what to do.”5
SUCCESSFUL REMOTE WORKERS HAVE “TEAM-FOCUSED” WORK ETHICS. That means they are reliable, results-oriented, and highly responsive. (Note that such traits are as applicable to the solopreneur as to the team member.) Since this is such a potent aspect of remote working, these traits are covered extensively throughout the book under different terms and topics, such as building trust (by demonstrating reliability), productivity (producing results)—even transparency (also referred to as “working out loud”).
And SUCCESSFUL REMOTE WORKERS ARE GOOD TEAM PLAYERS. That means they’re pleasant, collaborative, supportive, and receptive to feedback. It also means they’re willing to follow deliberate processes, as might be determined via a team agreement. (For more on the latter, see chapter 9.)
THE ABOVE terrain is viewed with a wide lens. The more thorough assessment comes from considering with a sharper focus the various elements that make for successful remote working. To do that, closely read both the Ready, Set, Remote section to follow and the entirety of the subsequent chapter on perfecting your game. Along the way, take careful notes regarding where you see yourself in relation to what’s being discussed. After that, the “Are You Ready to Work Remotely?” questionnaire in the Part II EXTRAS can help clarify what to work on from there. (And note, the questionnaire would be much less meaningful if you jump to it without first reading through chapter 4.)
Getting set up means finalizing where you’ll work, using what equipment and tools, and under what house rules. And since it’s wiser to try out working remotely for a time before you build a free-standing office in your backyard, we’ll cover your tech needs before discussing workspace.
“When I’m on a call with someone, I always ask ‘How’s my sound?’ Through the microphone, through the internet, through the router, through the cloud, and then back again is a lot of hops. There are a lot of chances for error.”
—AGILEBILL KREBS, coach and founder, Agile Dimensions, LLC6
When it comes to technology, the advice for individuals is the same as for companies: invest in high-quality equipment. We want crystal-clear, high-bandwidth communication on our remote teams. In order to have that, we need great internet and high-quality accessory tools. The cost of a headset and webcam is a small price to pay for productive conversations.
To follow is the minimum setup you’ll need to maintain strong remote-worker relations—after which we’ll elaborate on a few items.
MINIMIZE YOUR BACKGROUND NOISE. Even with a stellar internet connection, background noise can distract everyone on the call. So just as your on-site teammates don’t want to hear the cappuccino machine at your local café, they also won’t be impressed by your kids squabbling in the background. That means you’ll want to know your quiet-space options before call time approaches.
MAXIMIZE YOUR VIDEO PRESENCE. Because non-verbal communication is a big part of our interactions, it’s important to turn on the webcams whenever possible. That means we have to pay attention to the details of lighting and background. It’s all too easy in video calls to be backlit or, worse, in the shadows—and science has shown that when video lighting is poor, the conversation is less engaging.7 Another concern is background. If the area behind you is messy, or busy with people walking back and forth, it can be a big distraction. So part of having a professional video setup includes ensuring the view behind you doesn’t lessen the conversation; some recommend setting up a screen or room divider for this very purpose.
Finally, it’s not enough to be set with high-quality tech; you’ll want to ensure you’re savvy with it too. So TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN HOW TO USE YOUR TOOLS. It’s especially important that you’re comfortable with video calls. As coach AgileBill Krebs points out: “There’s another set of skills that includes mastering your video, your voice, and being able to move in a 3-D web environment. If we work with a team, everyone’s got to be comfortable with the technology used.”8
A few extra tips:
Our workspaces play a big part in how productive we are, so we need to choose wisely—as well as to adapt when necessary.
According to a number of sources, a majority of remote workers work from home.9 If you’ll be adding yourself to that statistic, there are a few recommendations to keep in mind:
As for your actual setup, of course there is no “one size fits all” optimal office. It can take some time to figure out personal preferences, especially regarding physical setup and ergonomics. I for one love my standing desk; some use an ergonomic kneeling chair. Yves Hanoulle built a home “walking office”: an electronic sit-stand desk combined with a treadmill. He says, “It makes my work time more intentional and helps me move more.”
Many recommend tinkering with your space until you get it right. When Jesse Fewell first started working from home, he created an office space in his attic. Since he’s a tall guy, after a while the low ceilings made him feel hunched over. So he set up a space in a corner of his bedroom—but before long he realized he rarely left that room. So he ended up building a small office in his backyard, which suited him (and his family) perfectly. As he phrased it: “Be prepared for the journey. Don’t expect to get things right on the first try. It’s a process of small experiments and iterations.”10
Of course, for some working from home is not an (ideal) option. Those in many major metropolitan areas can rent a station at a coworking space, whether that be a seat at a shared table or a private office, for an hour, a day, or a month. Many remote workers enjoy the amenities of coworking spaces—such as access to Wi-Fi and equipment like printers and scanners—as well as the chance to be around others who appreciate the remote option.
Many find a hybrid model more to their liking—as well as more conducive to certain kinds of tasks.
An average day for me is working from my coworking space, which is a couple minutes’ walk from my home in Barcelona. On days where I need it to be quiet or I need to take calls, I work from home. I love that I can choose where I work, whether that’s my coworking space, my home—or even my mom’s kitchen table in California.
—VANESSA SHAW, workplace innovator, Human Side of Tech11
For me, being in a coffee house is an enjoyable experience. I get the energy of people around me. Others might want the peace and quiet of their own home. The nice thing about having an anywhere office is that you can go where you need based on your mood. I’m kind of an introvert by nature and a forced extrovert by habit. And so, depending on the day, I may want to be in my house or I may want to be out in a coffee house. I find having that choice very empowering.
—DAVID HOROWITZ, cofounder and CEO, Retrium12
My entrepreneur husband tried both working at home and working at a coworking space, and he didn’t like either. At home, he felt lonely, distracted, and bored being in the same place day and night. In coworking spaces, it wasn’t convenient to bring all the equipment he wanted (external monitor, keyboard, and standing desk), and the chairs were uncomfortable. In the end, he rented an office for himself and his colleagues. If renting an entire office would be too much for you, note that some rent an extra room in a functioning office, even one in a different industry.
If you’ll be going remote in your established job or getting hired as a stable employee, your financial setup might not change all that much. But if you’ll be setting up shop as a freelancer for hire, there are many self-employment details to attend to—which are well beyond the scope of this book. Such details could include:
This list just scratches the surface. For more, see the FOR INDIVIDUALS category ( p. 319) in the Books & Guides portion of “For Further Reading, Listening, and Consultation” in the RESOURCES section.
PRE-REMOTE: DECIDING FOR YOURSELF
READY, SET, REMOTE: GETTING SET UP
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