It’s Strategies and Tools That Make Remote Team Collaboration Work
June 25, 2010 by Phil Montero · 4 Comments
Although many people feel remote collaboration is all about technology – the truth is virtual team work is a human endeavor – it’s about people working with people. Sure the tech is important as it enables people to work together while apart – but the strategy behind which tools you choose and how you use them is easily just as critical.
As Jason and I often say it’s about “the right tools thoughtfully applied”. Yesterday I came across a great blog post by Isaac Gube (@IAMTHEGUBE) about the tools and strategies he and his brother put into place when they launched their latest venture DesignInstruct.com – a regularly updated web magazine for designers and digital artists where you can find and learn design tips and tricks. The Brothers Gube clearly share the same philosophy as the Brothers Montero:
Design Instruct is our first real venture together. It is the first time my brother and I sought to actually build something of our own (unless of course you count all the make-believe forts we built when we were kids).
There are many challenges associated with working with someone over a long distance. However, we found that there are solutions to those challenges, and so far, we’ve managed to make it work.
I love the way the post breaks down the 5 main challenges they had and describes the solutions they came up with. When technology was needed they used free or low cost tools that can be embraced by any small business owner, solo professional, or entrepreneur. Read more
Video Conferencing Breaks Out of the Boardroom – Watch it On-Demand
June 23, 2010 by Phil Montero · Leave a Comment
Video conferencing has changed. What was once a very costly technology only used by large enterprise type organizations with dedicated IT departments is now easier to use and more cost effective. There are a variety of solutions to fit almost any budget.
This was the topic of discussion a few weeks ago when I joined Bloomberg Businessweek in their New York Studios for a live Video Webcast called “Video Breaks Out of the Boardroom”. The show was hosted by Jim Ellis, Assistant Managing Editor of Bloomberg Businessweek, and I was delighted that they invited me to join Marc Beattie from Wainhouse Research to be part of this episode. Here is a photo from our broadcast:
The Bloomberg building was amazing and everyone I met there was extremely friendly and helpful. We had a wonderful discussion and looked at what’s involved with implementing video conferencing including how much technical know-how it takes, how and why companies using it, what it costs, and what are some of the stumbling blocks. We also took some great questions from those that were viewing the live broadcast.
In case you missed it you can now view the entire Video Webcast live. Just register here and you can watch the whole show. We discussed the topic for about 20 minutes and then had about 10 minutes of Q&A. If you’re currently using video conferencing, or thinking about it, you definitely want to catch this.
A big thanks to everyone at Bloomberg Businessweek for having me be a part of this event. I hope to join them again for future shows!
Please post a comment below and let me know what you thought of the webcast and feel free to ask me any questions you might have about using video to connect with your virtual teams and remote workers.
Working From an Airport with The Anywhere Office
June 17, 2010 by Phil Montero · 8 Comments
I have to admit that these days I don’t travel that often. Having a 3 year old son makes me want to stay home a lot more than I used to – and being I work in The Anywhere Office I find I can often avoid unnecessary travel by wielding my mobile work technology to work from anywhere. However now and again an opportunity arises that I just can’t pass up. Last week I was invited to be a panelist on a Bloomberg Businessweek Live Video Webcast all about video conferencing.
It was a great opportunity that I didn’t want to miss – so despite the fact that it meant flying out of town on my birthday – I went to the West Palm Beach Airport here in sunny Florida and flew to New York City.
The webcast was lots of fun and I got to spend some time with my good friend Marc and visit with his family as well – a splendid time was had by all! I got to the airport very early because I hitched a ride in with my wife (who works close to the airport) and it got me thinking about being productive in an airport and why I love flying out of PBI. Here is a short video I shot talking about working from an airport with The Anywhere Office:
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iPhone OS 4.0: Big Productivity Benefits
May 26, 2010 by Phil Montero · 1 Comment
I love my iPod Touch! I got it over a year and a half ago and it is still my favorite piece of technology (along with my Flip video camera).
In fact, it’s probably one of the main reasons for me planning to switch from a PC to a Mac soon. I don’t have to troubleshoot it, almost never reboot it, it doesn’t get hung up or give me dll errors – the damn thing just works – and it’s FUN!
When they released the 3.0 OS upgrade for it last year I was really stoked for a few of the features – but mostly for the copy and paste. That was a huge productivity booster. Well this summer I have OS 4.0 to look forward too and once again there will be some big time savers. Here is a look at some of the main new features:
iPhone OS 4.0: The Web Working Benefits
This time around I think it’s the folders to group my apps into that will bring me the biggest boost. I download lots of apps to test (which I’ll be reviewing soon here on the blog) and tons of games for my son. The quick search they introduced in 3.0 made finding things a lot easier – but being able to group related apps together will be sweet! Also the new multitasking looks great but I will have to see how it’s implemented.
Are you an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad user? What are you most looking forward to in the new OS or what features/functions do you wish Apple would add? Post a comment below and let me know.
Free Webinar: Work Unchained – The Competitive Edge of the Anywhere Office®
April 21, 2010 by Phil Montero · 1 Comment
If you have employees working remotely or are just getting started with telecommuting, virtual teams, or workshifting you won’t want to miss the free webinar I’m delivering next Thursday, April 29th:
Work Unchained: The Competitive Edge
of the Anywhere Office®
Thursday, April 29 at 11 AM (PDT) / 2 PM (EDT)
Business as usual no longer involves working in a traditional workplace at set hours. Today’s workforce is more mobile than ever, and every day more people are working from virtual offices, client sites, home offices, coffee shops, airports, hotels, and any number of remote workplaces. Companies that take an ad-hoc approach to this work-style struggle, while those with a strategic, planned approach reap the benefit and flexibility of distributed work.
I partnered with Citrix (makers of GoToMyPC) to deliver this free Webinar. Learn how to evaluate your own organization’s workflow to strategically turn your ordinary office into The Anywhere Office®.
Attend to learn:
- Why workshifting provides a critical competitive edge
- Common mistakes to avoid when enabling a mobile workforce
- Best practices for evaluating your organization before implementing a workshifting strategy
- And more…
Click here to reserve your complimentary seat
I’m looking forward to the presentation and I hope you’ll join us!
