Years ago I was part of an international ministry team where most of the support team had signed up online. We met each other online. We communicated online. Eventually some of us on the leadership team were able to meet for a few days at headquarters. We began having conference calls to check in and share insights. It did wonders for our relationships. We began to be more in sync with each other and more effective in our ministry effort.
In the meantime, our regional teams continued to operate over email. We did okay. But there were a lot of people who were on the team, but really just along for the newsletter. At some point one of the more proactive people on my team looked me up on social media, so she could “put a face with a warrior.” From there we made an online group and our collaboration and effectiveness improved greatly.
I’ve found the same to be true in the workplace. We do a lot of remote work. We work in teams, we work in pairs. We don’t hang out after work, but we do check in with each other if someone has to be out for a while. By knowing each other’s work styles, strengths, and weaknesses, we’ve built a team that appreciates each other. Our contributions differ. But our value is equal across the board.
Puzzle Pieces Coaching 