What is your interacting with others hurdle #6?

I telecommute almost daily or travel away from our organization’s offices three or more days per week.

What can you do?

– Schedule time to work from your organization’s offices, attend meetings in person, and meet with key colleagues. If you are “never” at your organization’s offices, face time with your organization’s leaders, your boss, and your colleagues is even more critical.
– Attend “all-employee” meetings and your organization’s social events.
– Participate in online conversations (i.e., blogs, company updates, newsletters) with colleagues to maintain your visibility, even if you are physically absent.

What is your interacting with others hurdle #5?

When a new colleague joins my immediate team, I do not schedule time with him/her so we can get to know each other.

What can you do?

– Schedule time with a new colleague (give him about a week to settle in) to ask how you can help him in his transition to his new role.

– Find time to meet and welcome a new colleague (maybe over lunch!); discuss what you do, how you do it, and what you will need from him in order to do your job well.

– Be persistent if your attempts to schedule time with a new employee do not materialize. Schedules can fill easily and time can pass quickly.