IRL vs. Virtual

Got 47 seconds? Please watch this Gary Vaynerchuk video on Instagram:
https://lnkd.in/e7mMuk5S

What matters most in the processes deep inside your organization? Speed, efficiency, and effectiveness matter in business. Gary Vaynerchuk suggests that those things occur best in person, in the office, and tells a very familiar story to back it up.

The common story, at a high level, is that when an employee needs to speak with another employee it is quicker & easier to tap them on the shoulder and ask the question vs. trying to schedule a virtual meeting to discuss. This can lead to a disparity between in-person vs. remote when it comes to speed, efficiency, and effectiveness in business.

Do you agree? I do; however, it doesn’t *have* to lead to such disparity. The tools are there for instant communication between colleagues in any location. But are these tools being used effectively?

I once worked with a very talented person who refused to answer emails in any sort of timely manner. His defense was, “If it was so urgent, you would have just called me or walked over to my office, instead of taking the time to write an email.”

This person’s attitude annoyed everyone; however, everyone’s expectations were firmly established about how you approached him with something you needed done.

Does your organization set forth standards (aka “expectations”) for answering phone calls, text, emails, and instant messages (e.g., Slack)? That thought may not have even occurred to you. Standards for replying?

Yep. It’s a thing. Why?  Expectations for productivity.

Setting expectations in any organization for any purpose is a game changer. I always tell the clients I’m working for that “I won’t know every answer, but I will get you every answer.”

That gives me the freedom to honestly say sometimes, “I don’t know.” But then I can confidently set the expectation that I will find out. Whatever it is.

Once you set expectations for communication, the focus can be on speed, efficiency, and effectiveness and how to make that happen. Not so much on where that happens. However, I think to Gary’s point it is simply easier to make it happen in person.

When was the last time you put off answering a detailed or otherwise annoying email?

Now, when was the last time someone knocked on your office door and you completely ignored them? 😱