REMOTE COMMUNICATION CAN LEAVE US FEELING MISUNDERSTOOD AND, WELL, REMOTE!
It’s easy to understand how people are feeling when they verbalise how angry or sad or excited or happy they are. Even tacking an emoji at the end of a text helps us understand emotions better.
But what do we do when we can’t see our remote team members’ body language or pick up on non-verbal cues?
Given that even face-to-face communication can sometimes be confusing, it should not surprise us that rushed text messages can result in disastrous misunderstandings.
Here are a few things to take note of when you are communicating remotely:
- Get to know the sender and their vibe
- Use words that can communicate emotions and feelings better
- Make lasting positive impressions with your own body language so that others can learn and hopefully follow your lead
- Create trust with your colleagues so they begin to feel at ease about their own use of body language.
Body language makes up half of the conversation so when in doubt, schedule a call to get better clarity.
If someone on your team really struggles with being visible on video calls, call them and speak to them about the importance of body language.
Remember that good leadership depends on your ability to inspire people to express themselves. Do also remember that others read and evaluate you no matter whether you are the boss or the colleague.
What has your experience been like when it comes to missing body language cues with remote team members?
