{"id":29937,"date":"2023-01-10T19:27:32","date_gmt":"2023-01-11T03:27:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=29937"},"modified":"2023-01-10T19:27:32","modified_gmt":"2023-01-11T03:27:32","slug":"remote-yes-but-is-it-always-feasible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/remote-yes-but-is-it-always-feasible\/","title":{"rendered":"Remote, Yes, But Is It Always Feasible?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Written in the height of the pandemic, Gustavo Razzetti, founder and CEO of Fearless Culture, wrote <em>Remote, Not Distant.<\/em> As an author, speaker, and leadership consultant who has served many companies and nonprofits worldwide, this leadership book is a timely read on many fronts. Razzetti\u2019s opening line says,<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Welcome to the beginning of the end of the workplace as we know it. Normal is gone. The culture that got you here won\u2019t get you there.<a href=\"#_ftn1\" name=\"_ftnref1\">[1]<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Given the radical changes we have experienced worldwide in the workplace, the question begs to be asked: <em>Can meaningful connection and culture be created and maintained in the remote workplace?<\/em> According to Razzetti, \u201cYou can work remotely and still be connected. You don\u2019t need an office to feel like you\u2019re part of the team.\u201d<a href=\"#_ftn2\" name=\"_ftnref2\">[2]<\/a> The book is broken down into five steps to help promote connection in the new workplace. They are:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Step 1 is to reset your culture.<\/p>\n<p>Step 2 challenges the idea of alignment.<\/p>\n<p>Step 3 focuses on belonging.<\/p>\n<p>Step 4 is a deep dive into the six modules of collaboration in a hybrid workplace.<\/p>\n<p>Step 5 covers how to increase speed, adaptability, and decision-making.<a href=\"#_ftn1\" name=\"_ftnref1\">[1]<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>There are several essential concepts that I would like to highlight from the book:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Regarding culture and systems, Razzetti gives a nod to Schein who \u201clikes to say that culture is dynamic, not static. It\u2019s constantly evolving, yet stable and strong. It can be shaped but not changed\u2026 it\u2019s a living ecosystem that\u2019s constantly changing.\u201d<a href=\"#_ftn1\" name=\"_ftnref1\">[1]<\/a> Razzetti argues that culture is an interconnected system that demands more than a set of core values, but also purposeful intentionality to devote time and attention to building culture.<\/li>\n<li>Trust is more important than ever in the remote work context. Razzetti states, \u201cIn most companies, you must earn trust over time to earn benefits, but in a remote environment, you don\u2019t have the luxury of time. A hybrid workplace demands that organizations take trust to a new level.\u201d<a href=\"#_ftn2\" name=\"_ftnref2\">[2]<\/a> However, the challenge within this framework is the level of trust that must be demonstrated toward one\u2019s employees. Razzetti states, \u201cEngagement alone doesn\u2019t guarantee exceptional work \u2013 autonomy is actually more effective for driving innovative, groundbreaking behavior. Giving employees more control results in great work.\u201d<a href=\"#_ftn3\" name=\"_ftnref3\">[3]<\/a> While I agree with this, I also see the challenge of this as an employer. If an employer doesn\u2019t trust their employees to this degree, why not? Is it that they are unfit for that role, or that the employer has difficulty entrusting responsibility to their staff, or both?<\/li>\n<li>Building good culture demands a good example from leadership. Razzetti states, \u201cModel the right behavior and inspire others to follow suit. Walk the talk. Let your actions, not your rewards, define your culture. What you reward and punish requires drawing a line &#8211; how far are you willing to go to protect your culture?\u201d<a href=\"#_ftn4\" name=\"_ftnref4\">[4]<\/a> Good culture starts from the top and works its way down.<\/li>\n<li>The book provides some great tools and general principles to keep in mind that transcend any work context. For example:\n<ul>\n<li>In providing better feedback to employees, Razzetti believes that there is value in shifting from an annual performance to regular feedback, from giving feedback to receiving it, from top-down feedback to peer-to-peer feedback, and from revisiting the past to designing the future.<a href=\"#_ftn5\" name=\"_ftnref5\">[5]<\/a><\/li>\n<li>In managing feedback remotely, Razzetti suggests that employers should \u201cassume positive intent, manage conflict in the open, take a break, just listen, establish a buddy system, and set regular one-on-ones.\u201d<a href=\"#_ftn6\" name=\"_ftnref6\">[6]<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Razzetti state, \u201cGlobally, nearly seven in ten respondents said hybrid is their preferred work environment. People want flexibility, not just in where they work but also when.\u201d<a href=\"#_ftn7\" name=\"_ftnref7\">[7]<\/a> I am challenged by this statement as there are some sectors in which remote work is not possible, such as hospitals, schools, and, I would argue, the nonprofits I have led over the past two decades. In certain settings, physical presence and proximity are of utmost importance and cannot be fulfilled by a remote presence.<\/li>\n<li>Effective remote leaders do things differently. The author states, \u201cThe truth is, we don\u2019t need heroic leaders. We need human beings who take care of people.\u201d<a href=\"#_ftn8\" name=\"_ftnref8\">[8]<\/a> He further suggests that these leaders trust employees more, focus on culture (and let the employees focus on the work), are empathetic and engaged with their employees, and embrace the unknown (even when it may appear risky).<a href=\"#_ftn9\" name=\"_ftnref9\">[9]<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As stated in the introduction, this book was a timely read for me as I transitioned into a fully remote workplace role at the beginning of the year. Stepping out of the community development world where proximity (and physical presence) was everything, I look forward to applying these principles to my new role as a consultant with The FOCUS Group (TFG). TFG is headquartered in St. Augustine, Florida. However, most consultants are scattered across the United States and work remotely, except for in-person meetings with clients. Recently returning from our annual symposium (an in-person conference), I was greatly encouraged by the culture and connection I have already experienced with the team at TFG. However, I am challenged to consider how the principles communicated by Razzetti apply (or not) to the nonprofit context from which I recently exited. <em>Is it possible to allow greater flexibility to nonprofit leaders and staff, allowing for greater freedom and independence while not compromising the mission? And how are these principles transferable to local schools and hospitals, if at all?<\/em> These are the questions I will continue to mull over in the coming months.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref1\" name=\"_ftn1\">[1]<\/a> Ibid., 16.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref2\" name=\"_ftn2\">[2]<\/a> Ibid., 45.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref3\" name=\"_ftn3\">[3]<\/a> Ibid., 235.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref4\" name=\"_ftn4\">[4]<\/a> Ibid., 90.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref5\" name=\"_ftn5\">[5]<\/a> Ibid., 142\u2013145.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref6\" name=\"_ftn6\">[6]<\/a> Ibid., 148\u2013154.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref7\" name=\"_ftn7\">[7]<\/a> Ibid., 195.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref8\" name=\"_ftn8\">[8]<\/a> Ibid., 276.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref9\" name=\"_ftn9\">[9]<\/a> Ibid., 277\u2013280.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref1\" name=\"_ftn1\">[1]<\/a> Ibid., 16.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref2\" name=\"_ftn2\">[2]<\/a> Ibid., 45.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref3\" name=\"_ftn3\">[3]<\/a> Ibid., 235.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref4\" name=\"_ftn4\">[4]<\/a> Ibid., 90.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref5\" name=\"_ftn5\">[5]<\/a> Ibid., 142\u2013145.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref6\" name=\"_ftn6\">[6]<\/a> Ibid., 148\u2013154.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref7\" name=\"_ftn7\">[7]<\/a> Ibid., 195.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref8\" name=\"_ftn8\">[8]<\/a> Ibid., 276.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref9\" name=\"_ftn9\">[9]<\/a> Ibid., 277\u2013280.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref1\" name=\"_ftn1\">[1]<\/a> Ibid., 6\u20137.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref1\" name=\"_ftn1\">[1]<\/a> Gustavo Razzetti, <em>Remote, Not Distant: Design a Company Culture That Will Help You Thrive in a Hybrid Workplace<\/em> (Highland Park, IL: Liberationist Press, 2022), 1.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref2\" name=\"_ftn2\">[2]<\/a> Ibid., 3.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Written in the height of the pandemic, Gustavo Razzetti, founder and CEO of Fearless Culture, wrote Remote, Not Distant. As an author, speaker, and leadership consultant who has served many companies and nonprofits worldwide, this leadership book is a timely read on many fronts. Razzetti\u2019s opening line says, Welcome to the beginning of the end [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":142,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2488],"class_list":["post-29937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-razzetti","cohort-lgp11"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29937","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29937"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29937\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29940,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29937\/revisions\/29940"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}