Image courtesy- pxhere
With the possibility that offices might open up for work with the likelihood of the pandemic getting into acceptable control limits and as a personal choice if you are looking at an all-remote work environment it becomes a challenge on how to make yourself visible while your colleagues might be at work closer to your boss.
Here are some tips below on how to stay visible when your in-office colleagues are likely to have far more exposure to the boss.
Under Promise– Over Deliver:
When you take up a task give yourself ample time to complete the same. The normal way is to deliver by the ETA (Estimated time of Completion) you set yourself for the task and as communicated to your team / manager. However, a simple mantra is to go that extra mile to deliver before the agreed ETA. It would go a long way to establish you as someone who can deliver in crunch scenarios. When you communicate on the delivery make sure you reinforce that you’re meeting or exceeding deadlines. This will make you more visible even though you stay remote and not in front of your team or manager.
Go Beyond Transactional Conversations:
When you’re speaking with someone in your team make sure you take every opportunity to go beyond the normal conversations around tasks/deadlines/challenges. Make time to discuss about your personal interests, ambitions, hobbies etc… that would help you bond well with your colleagues even when being remote. This small step will help build more trust and helps you gel as a team. A colleague who feels a personal connection to you is almost certainly more likely to advocate for you when you’re not in the room, or volunteer to help you even when it’s not convenient, as compared to someone with whom you have just a transactional relationship.
Ensure you’re easily accessible
Taking time to understand if your manager prefers texts/calls/chat to communicate is very crucial for you to get his/her attention. You will be far more successful if you understand and honor their desired communication style, even if it’s not your personal preference. Your goal must be to minimize the friction in their ability to connect with you when needed. Similarly, even if your boss hasn’t requested please ensure you have a regular one-on-one check in meeting ideally on video. This will ensure that you will at least have small amount of direct access and opportunity to ask questions, clarify expectations, and keep your boss updated on your progress.
It is important that you stay visible and ensure that you’re viewed as a valued contributor who can make a significant impact on your team’s success!! Happy Remoting!! J
