If you are starting a new job or a new client engagement during this pandemic, you are most likely missing (and even craving) the in-person contacts that you are used to. The job interviews and onboarding may
have been all virtual and the actual work may still be all virtual. For a new client engagement, you may be doing not just the kickoff meeting but all the subsequent work virtually. And this virtual mode may be the situation for the foreseeable future.
Neither of these scenarios is the same as a team or group of people who already know each other well and have formed good working relationships to suddenly be working virtually.
Given our work is often all about the relationships, what are some of the challenges of this new way of working with clients or starting a new job? And how best to address them? Some lessons and tips from my latest client engagement experience:
Culture – We have all heard the phrase “culture eats strategy for lunch”. You must work that much harder to understand the culture of an organization when you are not spending time together in person. Early on, find out what the norms and values of the organization are from your key contacts. Observe and listen. And don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Politics – Every organization has its politics. Best to stay out of them if you can. But you need to be aware of the politics and how best to navigate to get results. The politics may be less evident (a good thing) in the virtual world but are still there.
Who’s who – If you are used to getting to know your new colleagues or clients more informally to build a good, trusting working relationship, then this is all new. There is not the usual shaking hands in person and getting acquainted with individuals before or after a meeting. That initial connection when you try to get to know someone and find some common ground or experience. Instead, you are on a video call with a lot of new people. Some are live on camera with their name displayed, some are just a photo with their name displayed, some are just a displayed name, and some are just a phone number. Knowing who’s who and their roles can take longer in this virtual environment. I know there is video fatigue but when you are getting started with a new group video is incredibly valuable.
Style – Your personality comes out whether in-person in someone’s office or a conference room or virtual on the phone or a video call. Be yourself, but always professional. That goes for your appearance and your background – your actual work area and/or virtual background screens. Getting to know the people you are working with is harder in the virtual world and can take longer. Consider taking a page from the virtual team playbook of having a virtual happy hour, especially in the beginning when you are getting to know everyone.
Collaboration – It is even more critical in this virtual world. And a lot of it is about the tools. Use what the client has as a standard and get the necessary access if you can to avoid a lot of inefficiencies. Use good meeting norms and do your best to read people including their body language.
Staying connected – Gone are the quick hallway conversations or popping in to see if someone is available for an informal chat. But that doesn’t mean they are never available nor that those conversations can’t happen. Don’t be afraid to call or text when you need a quick conversation outside of a scheduled meeting.
Huddles – Whether working in person or virtually, I am a big fan of huddles. To stay coordinated and reduce the volume of daily email, we suggested regular project huddles on our client engagement. Fortunately, the organization we are working with uses Lean and is very used to doing daily huddles. So, three times a week we have a 15-minute virtual huddle to review issues/obstacles and ensure we are all on track.
Do you have tips for starting a new job or client engagement in an all virtual environment? I would love to hear them and learn from all of you as we navigate the virtual work world together.
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