Shifting to a remote mindset - Increment: Remote

Remote working needs to be deconstructed and distilled based on ‘first principles’ of what problem is getting solved, and how best a project or task can be handled by the entire team in an entirely new setting.

Instead of resorting to old habits (like making a phone call to colleagues for simple things) or insisting on doing stuff only for the sake of it, one needs to completely rethink about work interactions, methods and values.

Remote work requires thoughtfulness, precision and planning. Things cannot be done ad hoc in office corridors and lobbies anymore.

Many colleagues share different time zones and cannot participate in a synchronous exchange of information.

• In a remote setting, you have to critically think and plan ahead, and communicate a query with complete information and context.
• You can refer to previous solutions to the problem in order to save the time of others, who might try the same thing.
• While answering a query, you have to be well-researched, contextual, and thorough, even going to the extent of providing references and documentation to support the suggested solution.

Communication, especially the asynchronous, written variety, is the main pillar of remote working.

Communication tools like Slack are to be used smartly to be really effective, and not to be turned into dumping grounds of information that is hardly visible to all remote workers. When needed, one can use real-time communication to touch base with everyone, enabling connectedness and a sense of belonging, without being imposing.

• Not everything that was done in the office is effective or even advisable in a remote setting where everyone is at home juggling work and personal stuff.
• We need to understand the various subtleties and the many touchpoints of working closely with a remote team, and understand that it is not one-size-fits-all.
• We need to adapt and fine-tune our interactions to facilitate a thriving relationship with our peers and bosses.