My family members don’t call as much as they used to. And last weekend, I had an “ah ha” moment when I finally understood why.
In analyzing my family members’ personality types, I realized that I’m just one of probably two extroverts in my entire family. And thanks to smart phones, tablets and laptops, my family of introverts can now communicate even more comfortably without picking up the phone.
While I’m happy that my family has adopted new technologies, they now have the ability to “hide” behind their devices. And that has left this extrovert less than enthused about texting, chatting and other collaboration tools — at least from a personal perspective.
However, professionally, I still love, value, and need these collaboration tools to get by in the 21st century office. And my team is a really great example of their power. As All things Admin grows, and we reach new milestones and encounter new challenges, we look for technologies that help us better work together. We use voice, chat, and video tools. We take full advantage of email and document sharing tools. And our project management programs help us work more efficiently as a team. Despite the fact that I only see one of my team members on a daily basis, all of these tools make it seem like we’re in the same office.
Like my team, more and more corporate offices are going the virtual route with many employees and even executives working remotely. This trend makes collaboration tools, such as those highlighted in this week’s feature article, essential for doing business.
To learn more about collaboration tools and resources, be sure to visit our Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages this week. I encourage you to learn about and adopt these technologies — whether they’re apps, devices, programs or software — that allow you to collaborate better with your colleagues and executives. I guarantee you won’t regret it!
Just remember, while collaboration tools are extremely handy, they are not a substitute for all personal interactions. You still need to pick up the phone and meet with people face to face. Your relationships will be better for it!
Supporting your administrative success,
Julie
