Page 4 - Instant Teams Communication Handbook

Over-Serve (not Over-Share)
Life gets busy. Excuses pile up fast. Traditional work environments help block out some of those daily distractions because you’re removed, in a physical setting, from personal life and more natural moments to weave in personal life emerge over work breaks and watercooler moments. Working remotely, however—often from home, all those areas of life can intersect
at a moment’s notice, and the lines can get a little hazy. So, here’s a great rule of thumb: it’s not about you. It’s about the customer, the team, the community. If you always make it a mental practice to serve those you’re working for and with, it’ll keep you aligned with professional communication practices.
Yes, you’ll have errands to run, sick family members to tend to at some point, home appliances that go rogue, and days you just don’t feel like doing anything, but professionally, work still needs to be done. To position yourself as a remote professional, layout your weekly schedule while allocating some personal time, and room to adapt to life’s crazy moments. But, when something comes up, that throws a wrench into your day, just be sure to keep excuses objective and to the point.
Not able to make a meeting because the school called to pick up a sick kid? Respond with, “I’m not going to make the meeting in 10 minutes due to an unexpected situation. Can I sync up with you shortly at 5pm to catch up?”
If you’re unable to meet a deadline due to travel not going as expected? Respond with, “Do you have a quick 10 minutes to talk about our timeline on the project? I need to adjust a bit and just want to be sure it’s what’s best for us both.”
Ultimately, keep it focused on the work at hand and the customer you’re serving.