Working remotely gives space for people to work in very different ways
Partnering is not ‘business as usual’ and remote partnering requires (demands?) an even more radical re-think of how we work on a day-to-day basis. Remote partnering can be viewed as a problem to be solved or it can be viewed as an opportunity for ‘doing different’. This could include finding more creative / imaginative ways of building relationships, re-configuring the balance of power and working in ways that challenge and transform our current practices.
In an increasingly anxious and suspicious global context, perhaps it is not surprising that ‘trust’ is so often seen as the single most important component of successful partnering…
You need to build trust even if you can’t meet face-to-face…
Trust takes longer to build in remote interaction.
When planning to work with people, organisations and sectors you don’t know, it is understandable that there will be a high level of uncertainty. Partnerships that give time to building understanding, insights and robust working relationships are those that are able to hold firm when circumstances change. However (as indicated above), this is seen as being far more difficult when working remotely – without visual clues or being able to see each other’s reactions or seize opportunities for ‘side conversations’.
It is important to build dynamic and imaginative approaches that take account of the challenges of distance.
Download:
Holding space – Language Context & Time (ppt)
Download:
Igniting our Senses (ppt)
Download:
Partnering and the Importance of Play (pdf)
It takes courage to step outside one’s comfort zone but if we don’t push ourselves to change and don’t open ourselves up to doing things differently how can we expect the systems in which we operate to change?