Are you suddenly working from home? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Tsedal Neeley, a professor at Harvard Business School. They talk through how to be productive at home whether you’re alone or distracted by children, how to care for your newly remote team and make sure they still get work done, or how to adapt when your job requires going outside and seeing people face-to-face.
From Alison and Dan’s reading list:
HBR: 8 Ways to Manage Your Team While Social Distancing by Timothy R. Clark — “Uncertainty fuels anxiety. The more you communicate and share, the less chance there is to develop an information vacuum within your team. Communicate regularly even if you don’t have new information to share. Maintaining transparency through a crisis with frequent updates is the ultimate expression of good faith, empathy, and genuine concern for your team.”
HBR: 15 Questions About Remote Work, Answered by Tsedal Neeley — “First, you should have a group conversation about the new state of affairs. Say, ‘Hey, folks, it’s a different world. We don’t know how long this is going to last. But I want to make sure you all feel that you have what you need.’ This should be followed by a team launch to jump-start this new way of working.”
HBR: A Guide for Working (From Home) Parents by Avni Patel Thompson — “It will feel like you need to squeeze every ounce of productivity out of every minute in the day. It’s a reality that many of us will have to find time to work early in the morning or after the kids are in bed. But be sure to schedule in breaks and unstructured times to unwind and connect with your partner and kids. This is going to be a marathon and it’s important we find ways not to burn out.”
HBR: Coping with Fatigue, Fear, and Panic During a Crisis by Tony Schwarz and Emily Pines — “We are dealing with two contagions — the virus itself and the emotions it generates. Negative emotions are every bit as contagious as the virus, and they’re also toxic. Fatigue, fear, and panic undermine our ability to think clearly and creatively, manage our relationships effectively, focus attention on the right priorities, and make smart, informed choices.”