Shut Off Your Email and Turn On Your Webcam
New Book giveaway!!
20 complimentary copies available.
Leave a comment on this guest post by Kevin Eikenberry and Wayne Turmel to become eligible to win one of TWENTY complimentary copies of “The Long-Distance Leader.”
(Deadline: 8/22/2018)
*International winners will receive digital versions.
As soon as people knew we were writing a book about remote leadership (now released and titled The Long-Distance Leader: Rules for Remarkable Remote Leadership), people started asking for one nugget or idea that would help them lead remote team members more effectively.
But before I came to this simple answer to a complex question, I thought about some of the things that are more challenging about leading people at a distance. Some of the big differences and challenges that people ask about include:
- How do I coach at a distance?
- How do I build relationships at a distance?
- How to I build trust at a distance?
- How to I communicate at a distance?
All of these are good questions, worthy of reflection, study, trial, error and success.
You know the old joke about people working down the hall or in the next cubicle and emailing each other rather than talking? That wouldn’t be a joke if a) it didn’t happen, and b) it didn’t point to problems in that workplace.
When your team is remote from each other it is no joke.
You can’t get up, walk down the hall or aisle and say hello, and so people resort to email, not out of convenience or avoidance, but out of necessity.
Any of us would say to that office of emailers to get up from their desk and talk to people. My advice for a remote leader and their team members is similar. Shut off your email and turn on your webcam. Email isn’t the right tool for a conversation, and while a video call isn’t quite the same as being across the desk, it is pretty close.
Shut off your email and turn on your webcam.
How might long-distance leaders connect with long-distance teams and employees?
Kevin Eikenberry is a world renowned leadership expert, a three-time bestselling author, speaker, consultant, trainer, coach, leader, learner, husband and father (not necessarily in that order).
His new book, co-authored with Wayne Turmel The Long-Distance Leader: Rules for Remarkable Remote Leadership is the handbook for remote leaders wanting to get better results for their teams and organizations. You can learn more about Kevin and his team at https://KevinEikenberry.com and https://RemoteLeadershipInstitute.com
I am an administrator in an urban setting and would love a copy!
I teach remote classes and having the participants have their webcams on increases engagement so much more!
Such a topical discussion with technology moving us forwards each and every day !
I so agree with this premises about stopping the ping pong of email and call or video conference. It is a much more effective communication method than responding with one liners via email. When email doesn’t work, talk.
OMG, I just led a leadership circle within my organization on the topic of remote leadership. My colleagues and I have identified a number of key elements to help foster a greater remote relationship while building trusting relationships. Can’t wait to read the book and share this with others!
In today’s day and age and employees telecommuting, I feel this is a must read! Please send me a copy 🙂
The ability to lead at a distance is an evolving skill set. I would be very interested in reading your book and gaining new insight.
I personally think that this is a VERY important subject! Extremely relevant today!
The company I work for has remote teams. While there are some emails, there are also a lot of Skype meetings. This makes the remote part of team feel more like they are part of a team.
I think using the webcam is a start, but if at some point it is possible to bring people together, even once or twice a year – you can’t beat in person face-to-face.
Yes Please!!!
Picking up the phone is a good second choice after webcam and beats email! So much is learned from tone, volume, inflection, facial expression far beyond the words in an email.
So topical. We were just having this conversation in my office. People get so wrapped up in the day-to-day it’s just easier not to engage and shoot an email. I’ve tried to make a conscious effort not to do that whenever possible. Thanks for posting this!
I’ve been on a dozen WebEx meeting this week! I’d love a copy!
This has been a thought at the forefront for me for the past year as I was absent from the office due to a sick child and worrying about leading from afar!
Dan, your article hit the mark for me. I am the COO of BroadPath Healthcare Solutions. We have developed an internal platform that maintains a fully live video feed for our many thousand work-from-home employees during all work hours. Employees see their team members and management all tiled out “Hollywood Squares” style. They can interact throughout the work day and see each other. Though you might find interesting.
Definitely, I will use this book for my calling. I’m an online coach. Plus i want to grow in services online….
Makes total sense… I am the principal of two elementary schools (20 miles apart) and “working from each building” is becoming a daily part of my life. This book intrigues me- I would love to read it
Would love to see more on this topic. Another part of being remote from your leader is that they aren’t aware of your everyday tasks or how you handle them.
Absolutely agree – it seems more and more people ping-pong emails across contenants and even within the same offices at times. Please use the available technical resources to connect with your teams when travel isn’t practical.
Would love a copy of the book
I work remotely from my manager and constantly struggle to build the relationship from a distance. I would love a copy!
Thank you for addressing a growing concern in how to better manage remote employees. I have remotely worked as an individual contributor as well as in a leadership position. Nothing beats 1:1 in person meetings to really get the pulse of a co-worker. Conference calls have become the new norm which has allowed the distraction of multi tasking a slippery slope. Video enabled conferencing could enable better eye communication but not sure if that is the right answer. Look forward to learning more about your insight on how to be an even more effective leader.
Great advice! I think we rely on email way too much these days.
I’ve been a proponent of Google Hangouts, learned in my previous job. However, I’m now in a leg brace and crutches, worrying about getting to them. Your post jogged my memory of how to navigate these next few weeks of recovery! Can’t wait to read the book for new ideas!!!!
This is an outstanding subject to tackle. I have a few alternate locations and have used “webcam” technologies as a contact resource. I am definitely interested in other perspectives/suggestions.
As a leader in customer service, this topic intrigues me. Two years ago we experiences a big push to send agents home to work remotely. At the time it seemed like an awesome thing, but now myself and a few others are questioning that move. There is a loss of team and comradery
components, and it is a lot harder to keep people connected. Sounds like you may have some valuable insights! Thanks!
I was just having a discussion regarding this topic this week!
Timely and very much needed for our digital transformation age. I can’t wait to read more and share with my colleagues.
With the increase in global team-based environments, it is critical to engage the members of a team in the deepest way possible, which cannot be achieved effectively through email alone. Engagement needs to be thought of to be more than just a transaction.
I work with staff who are almost always working remotely. We use Zoom for meetings, but I should probably use it more for individual conversations. I appreciate the opportunity to think about this possibility. Thanks.
Being an operations manager over retail division with multiple locations throughout our city, one of the challenges in communication is the inundation of emails. If I feel that this is going to be an extensive email or an important message, I typically have to resort to conference call. I love the idea of the webcam as it continues to strengthen relationships within the company.
I am looking forward to this book, would love tips on how to build strong relationships with my remote employees but also with my global colleagues.
I have been working remotely for a virtual k12 school for about a year. The struggle is real. It does feel odd to email someone next door and even meet online with folks in the same office space. I can’t tell you how often the tenor of conversation gets misconstrued and leads to microaggressions. I think that the more often we can see each other, the more pleasant we can be to and for each other.
I look forward to reading this book and learning how our team can be more effective. Our team dislikes webcams.
Great advice. Would love a copy of the book.
Very interesting post! My team is remote, with my branch chief sitting in a different time zone. As I look forward in my career, I want to make sure I learn and utilize the skills necessary to be an effective and human virtual leader.
I am using virtual assistants to help in our business and my ministry and would love to learn to better lead them.
I have been preaching this to leaders in my organization for years! It’s amazing what seeing a face will do to the quality of the conversation. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, turn off your email and turn on your webcam!!! Email provides no access to voice-reflected issues or body language for two examples of restrictions when at a distance. I guess phone might enable voice-reflected issue pick up but not body language. When participating in a webcam session, have to listen and watch carefully – for learning and understanding in both cases. AND then we must continue the session AS WELL AS respond after the session with empathy for the people involved first and then to the organization issues second.
Would you consider doing a series devoted to this topic? The comments and responses from others in the trenches complement your always spot on advice.
Wow this is a great idea; we have the technology, so why not leverage this to connect with staff at a distance. Skype and Face time are easy…
Webcams are great. I love the idea of not being so tied to phones as well. Technology can be a great way to actually accomplish needed work and keep the momentum going on projects.
sounds interesting… worth exploring for my international contacts
I have been trying to perfect this for a while. When you are spread out in different locations, I have found that video is much easier to connect with people through. Even better than the phone. I would love a copy!
I work in a BOCES (Board of Cooperative Education Services) with 12 different school districts in Southern Colorado. We cover 10,000 square miles, so in person meetings are not an option. We were able to secure a distance learning grant so that we can communicate with our teachers. We are trying to figure out how to utilize this technology in such a way that benefits everyone in our BOCES.
Excellent! Yes, let’s use technology not as a crutch, but as a tool to enhance communication and connection when possible.
We have been promoting a regional video conferencing solution for all of our mutual aid fire/police/public safety entities. It has been a tremendous boon to communication, interoperability, and sharing of information. I absolutely agree, face to face-even when you are not together-builds relationships and teams with even those who are separated by great distance.
I love this concept.
I couldn’t agree more. Video conference connections are the first choice if a team needs to be remote from one another. Seeing and hearing, happening together, increase trust and communication.
I’ve been a remote leader for 3 years, it doesn’t get easier and I look for ways to be more engaged at the Mother Ship constantly. I don’t mind the idea of a web cam convo, but the folks at the Mother Ship aren’t up for it usually. It might take some leadership tricks selling the challenges of being a remote employee!!
I am the CEO of leadership and human development company. I deliver around 50 seminars annually. The question about communicating to far-flung team members scattered across the country, and internationally, is one of the top five questions posed in our seminars. This looks to be a valuable resource to recommend in response to such questions.
This is a very timely and needed book on this subject. The webcam can be an extremely valuable tool while working with your teams. It is a slow process, but people are getting more used to it since the use of Facetime and Kahoot. I would love to know more about this type of networking so that I can educate future principals as to another valuable communication and collaboration tool. Thank you for the chance to win a book. Best,
Cheryl
Great idea — I have a teammate who just went remote after sitting right beside me for a long time.
As a communityleader it would help me reach members of my community all at sime time
Good thinking outside the boundaries. Connecting with subordinates is important and this seems like a possible solution to long distance leadership. Keep up the great work!
I have 10 direct reports (Sales Reps) that are remote. We have video conferencing available, but I have not made the video part mandatory. This is very timely for me as I’m searching for a better way to connect.
Have 4 remote offices looking for a better way to connect Would love to read your book.
I would love to read this!
Would love to read this. I preach and teach all of the time that e-mail can never communicate expressions or inflections. Urgency or lack thereof is so mistaken via e-mail despite all of our emo-gees.
Effective remote leadership is definitely a current topic in my organization. We use Skype, telephone, and WebEx but would love to read about additional ideas. Webcam is a great idea. I want to learn more.
I am going remote in two weeks and although I am excited, I am also nervous for the changes that come with working remotely. So much of my work is done on the phone and online, but I am greatly going to miss the in person interactions. Looking forward to reading the book!
Wonderful! Our HQ is in Baltimore and I work from my remote home office in Las Vegas most of the time, unless traveling for sales calls. Since we do business nationwide, we have talent across many states – not everyone works from the HQ office. Very applicable for me personally and our growing organization.
This is very timely. As companies continue to grow, build new buildings and increase employees, connecting becomes even more important. Ww have multiple locations and email is the typical method of communication. However, its impersonal. I look forward to reading this book.
Great post Dan. I do have a web cam and use it mainly for running large scale design events across multiple states and sites. When it comes to one-on-ones I find it more problematic, mainly because most others don’t have a camera and it feels a little odd just talking to the screen and not seeing the other person.
This book looks like a good one.
I’d love to read this! I’m part of an international organization with teams going every which way and it’s hard to stay connected with those that I do have a connection with, much less trying to build a connection where I don’t!
Emails are very informal and does not give the personal touch. Humans love to see and feel each other. We also in our company use video concerning more often than emails. Would love to learn more from the book.
Honestly, this topic not only intrigues me, but I believe in it. Since I have taught via distance learning since 2001, I have some experience.
The most important thing for this to work for anyone is that it requires one to be intentional and consistently connecting. If you don’t make it a priority, it will NOT succeed.
YIC,
Rev. Darian Hybl
This book would be a big help for me as most of the individuals I work with are located in our offices in other states!
Email is easily forgettable, but webcam is visual way of learning and easily understood.
I am just starting coaching and doing that remotely would expand my possibilities to reach more people around the country. This would be quite a read, because in addition to coaching people in their transformations it would help me while I’m coaching remote working teams (in the future).
i would love a copy of this book
I’m working in a virtual team across all Europe. This ebook is vital for me.
This would be an essential read for me as a new, inexperienced leader who has teams in remote locations – leading is the toughest job I’ve every done but leading remotely can be almost ineffectual…
Great advice for building relationships with your team while you can’t be present with them.
Having quality video and sound equipment for the best virtual representstion of you is also very important. The way you dress and sit also transmits even if no video is being seen. Multitasking shows you don’t care. There are many ways to be a good remote leader if you are conscious of your online presence.
Dear Dan,
Thanks for your coordinated efforts to include Kevin Eikenberry in your blog post. He has remained as one of the liked speakers and coaches to train the senior/top management staff to handle the key assignment of running a profitable business with taking a team of followers along.
The Webcam is a right good tech savvy tool to impart effective coaching and training! It could be for a singular or collective group. Things have considerably changed since last 2 decades with newer available web-based technical facilities. Good Coaches & Trainers have adopted to the new tools in reaching their target audience across the globe quite conveniently.
The book in reference would show the way things can be made easy while coaching the potential leaders to face new corporate challenges.
You know I was reading this just waiting for the answer and here it was in the title the whole time. Simple, but true. Thank you!
We have the technology to bring us closer – love the fact that web converstations give you the opportunity to catch non-verbals that email doesn’t.
Yes, talk! I manage remote project teams and I schedule a meeting to resolve any question that isn’t answered in three email messages.
As uncomfortable as it may feel at first to do the video meeting, I agree that it can help you and your team member feel more connected.
My husband works remotely with employees in two different locations. Their team has undergone quite a bit of flux and I think this book would support his work as well as help him “coach up”.
One of the great things about my company is that all desk phones for all employees are video phones so it is easy to feel more engaged with all employees.
Great advice – and I follow Kevin’s posts so it would be great to get his book.
As big of a hassle it can be to set up a video conference instead of shooting off a quick email is worth every second! So much can be misinterpreted in a written document. I would love to have the opportunity to read this book.
Dan, this is timely with more and more remote workers these days. We have people all over the world where I would and our best communication is when we talk face to face or use a webcam.
Would love a copy
Daily routine for me, would like a digital copy 🙂
I need this book!!! The larger part of my team is over 1000 miles away, and though we communicate often via Zoom, I definitely need more creative ideas to get engaged and pour into them. This would be a fantastic tool.
I would call it shut off your Slack and Texts… but yeah. I agree wi h the premise. We need more high touch, high quality interactions. You can easily save video or clips to refer later as needed too.
Working in a global matrix environment, I would love to read a copy!
I agree that video chat or phone calls are better than the back and forth of email. In the long run you will also save time. One more suggestion. Don’t underestimate the value of actually bringing the team together on occasion or going to visit them at their location. Years ago I served on a global services team that was widely scattered across the U.S. and we benefited from regular meeting times.
Wow, obviously a big need.
I work with teams serving individuals with disabilities across multiple counties and always trying to be at Multiple places at once. I look forward to he read.
It is always better to have an interactive conversation, whether in person or via video, rather than email. It allows for information to flow back and forth and leads to less initial miscommunications.
I am excited to read this book
This is a great topic and a timely book. The number of teleworkers and virtual teams is growing and leaders need to be flexible and creative in finding ways to collaborate. I would love to turn off my email and turn on my webcam – when I am looking good! 🙂