2. DigitaL Collaborator

Behaviour: Confidently use technology to facilitate and initiate working relationships and to build networks

Why communicate online?

It may not always be possible to have face-to-face meetings with colleagues at other institutions and suppliers, because of distance, resource implications and time restrictions. The alternative is communicating online, which can be more efficient with respect to cost and time, you may have already noticed that phone conferences often take less time than face-to-face meetings. Even though the traditional phone conference has its place, web conferencing tools such as Skype give you the opportunity to work collaboratively. They have features such as desktop and resource sharing, which can be used to create documents and artefacts, and also for trouble shooting. If you have a webcam you will also be able to synchronously see the person, or the team you are communicating with, which provides a personal element. It is worth noting that this approach to communication can come with some challenges, you need the right equipment for the job e.g. webcam and headset, you need to be clear about the purpose of the meeting and why people are attending. As the chair you will need to elicit feedback throughout the meeting to make sure everybody is included within the conversation, and you will need to clearly summarise actions. If the online meeting is for a project or initiative your are leading, an online meeting can be a useful way to sort out large and small issues with suppliers or partners, before they escalate.

Read

Watch

The Art of Negotiation | Maria Ploumaki | TEDxYouth@Zurich

Do

Provide an example of where you have used online communication and an example of where you could use it the future. For you what are the positives and negatives of communicating in this way?