Lately, social media is splattered with photos of teams screenshotting their Zoom, Hangout or Skype calls to show just how well they’re adapting to remote work. But what happens when you end the call?
Did your team actually take notes and decide on a solid plan of action? Or were you too busy trying to look presentable, adjusting your mic level, or keeping one eye on the kids? Virtual meetings can be a minefield, and the danger is that they give the illusion of work being done. They’re great for connecting, but when it comes to staying on task, we need a better way of managing people when the camera is turned off.
Wundamail is a great follow-up tool for your video-calls. It automatically checks-in with your team, so you can structure the way you work together. This works to streamline the conversation, so you can save time in your meetings and convert words into actions. This promotes automatic accountability, transparency and productivity in your team.
The software is designed according to a fundamental principle of Agile Management theory- the “daily stand-up” meeting. Stand ups are short team briefings that happen at the start of each day, designed specifically to navigate obstacles and promote progress. To get to the point, you need to ask three simple questions to every member of the team:
- What did you do yesterday?
- What are you going to do today?
- Are there any blockers to success? How can we solve them?
Naturally, these make perfect questions to ask your team via Wundamail, particularly as a precursor or a follow-up to a virtual meeting. Let’s delve deeper into the benefits of each template:
What Did You Do Yesterday?
When you ask your team “what did you do yesterday?”, it prompts individuals to self-assess their productivity. Additionally, via the Wundamail compilation, they can see where everyone else in the team is up to- so if there is room for any collaboration they can take full advantage.
From a leadership perspective, this template helps you see at a glance how everyone is progressing (or in some cases, lagging behind). With Wundamail, you can respond to each team member’s responses in full view as part of the daily compilation, or simply hit the red button to respond privately.
What Are You Going To Do Today?
In any meeting, the crucial question is always “what happens next”. This ensures each person has a clear plan for the day, and you can check if there are any blockers in their way.
In using this template, you can drive productivity forward by making your team outline their plans for the day and prioritise their workload. Are they considering their place in the team strategy as a whole? It’s this type of proactive self-discipline that really drives remote productivity. Also, you can correlate their answer to this question with their answer to “What did you do yesterday?” the following day and see if there are any pressure points or discrepancies.
Are There Any Blockers To Success? How Can We Solve Them?
Working from home, you can’t always tap into the “hive mind” to access an instant solution.
This is why the daily Wundamail compilation is sent to all team members, so everyone can get an understanding of the problems and share insight across departments.
This one encourages team members to tackle their own blockers, or canvas their peers for advice or solutions. This type of collaboration really sets up remote teams to focus on the day ahead, especially after a video call. Talking is great for ideas, but chat dissolves quickly. Write-ups solidify, and the Wundamail question brings suggestions through to fruition.
Virtual meetings have changed the game in remote working, but they should be a last resort, not a first option. Communication shouldn't require calendar synchronization. Six people in a room for an hour isn't a one hour meeting, it's a six hour meeting.
Ensure your remote teams are focused on what matters. Supercharge your video meetings with Wundamail, and convert talk to action. Try it for free today.
