An unexpected downside to remote work

Recently, when I was at a few in-person meetings, people kept returning to the details while others wanted to talk about the big picture. It reminded me that it's not easy to keep a meeting on track, whether in person - as we were - or online.

As someone who listens and gathers information before sharing insights, this can become frustrating. I didn't want to interrupt my colleagues but I knew we'd gotten off track. I looked for ways to bring the discussion back to the strategic view from the weeds. I wondered why it felt so hard and frustrating, and I realized: I am out of practice.

For years, I've been working from home. Yes, I work with clients all the time but it is usually on a video or audio call and not in person. That's a challenge in its own right, but it's a different dynamic. 

So here's what I learned. It's not easy to relearn how to engage effectively in an in person meeting or setting, and leverage your strengths. It felt like a different skill set than I've used in online group meetings where I'm more likely to jump in and interrupt. This is something I've promised myself to work on now that I know it's an issue. 

Have you encountered an unexpected downside to remote work?

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