Do you feel like you are constantly putting out fires instead of managing projects? If you are leading a virtual team, or participating in one, do you find your to-do list just keeps on growing?
If you are running frantically, but going nowhere, there is something you can do differently. Once you do this 3-step process, you’ll find managing virtual projects is a lot easier, faster and much more fun. It’s an instant productivity boost.
On virtual projects, whether large or small, you have to establish a working process and agreements with your distance partners. The fastest way to do this is with visual maps.
Maps are flexible in both content and specific design. You can use these methods to map a project in wildly diverse situations.
Here’s a samplerof projects you may be managing virtually: outsourcing to grow your business, launching a product, identifying a new career, researching, starting a new business or planning a wedding.
Let me ask you a question.
Is there an area of your personal or professional life, which you would like to improve?
I don’t know exactly what’s going on in your life, but for most of us, this is an easy answer. It is, "Of course!"
So I bet that’s your answer too.
Now that we’ve established that, what can you do to get started?
ONE: Reduce overwhelm.
Gather all your ideas in one place. Put all the options, possibilities and issues onto note cards, sticky notes or notes on your laptop. Get all your thoughts out of your head.
If you are working with virtual teammates, have everyone do the same thing. Share all the options with each other.
TWO: Reduce options.
Categorize ideas into do-able sections. This could be according to resources, time or staffing.
Work together to ‘chunk’ the options into a more manageable few. For example, use labels such as: now, next and after that.
You or your partners may have ideas, actions, and questions which belong in the ‘don’t know yet’ bucket.
This is not high-level physics. But with easy ‘buckets’ to categorize ideas, you and your team will quickly separate the key targets. You will be able to see what is do-able in the timeframe; and what is wishful thinking.
In fact, once you get started, you and your virtual team are no longer overwhelmed. Instead you are thinking differently. You are have already moved out of ‘fighting fires’ and into productive action.
That’s a great start and you’re ready to move to step number three:
THREE: Identify do-able steps.
Determine a logical starting place. Break this down into small units you and individuals on the team are able to do.
Guide the team to be more action-oriented by asking these questions:
What is the next thing we can do to move this forward?
What is one step we can take to move this idea into action?
Who is the person responsible for each step?
This may lead the team to do more research, talk to someone, incubate, compare options, talk with teammates, and experiment with a pilot test. And it will likely lead you to make timelines to manage the sequencing and delivery for your virtual project.
These three steps are easy, fast and intuitive. Use them to focus efforts and increase productivity on any virtual project.
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Hi. I read a few of your other posts and wanted to know if you would be interested in exchanging blogroll links?