
The “perfect storm” is described as having all the possible scenarios aligned to produce a powerful magnificent storm. If the IDC forecast is correct in that 75% of the current workforce will be considered a mobile workforce by 2011, is there a perfect storm brewing?
A simplified definition of a mobile worker is a person who is enabled to perform work functions outside of the corporate campus using technology to connect, communicate and be productive.
Global training managers have to be thinking about the “best practices” and guidelines to lead, communicate and to train their mobile workers.
As a coach and training go-to person in a busy mobile publishing enterprise, I have gained some important insights into how to train my mobile workforce.
I have been traveling and speaking about mobile platforms, mobile publishing, content networks, mobile polling, educational courses and just about anything you can imagine regarding mobile delivery. (I really love my job!)
Leadership and the management team, if on the same page, create a work environment that is needed by the mobile worker. The remote warriors of yesterday are a bit different than the mobile workers of today. The new mobile workforce population now includes just about every type of sales, support and corporate personality imaginable.
The needs of these people are met through the use of technology on the road, at home and anywhere a connection is available. The role of the manager is to make sure these talented, wonderful human beings who have skills beyond the ROI report, are waiting to be inspired and trained to the mission and purpose of the company.
Training these people ( me, you, them!) needs to flow as if these people (me, you, them!) were sitting next to the manager’s office.
A few jotted notes …
1. Time Zones – Write on your wall map! Get used to making considerations about international and cross country time zones. Go to the dollar store, buy the round clocks and label them with your staff time zones. Or set up your PDA to show them all.
2. Technology – Make sure that if you conduct a meeting, as a presenter using a collaborative tool like GoToMeeting or Cisco Web X, start with a good connection. Be prepared and study “What makes a good web based presentation”? Think of the trainees as a customer.
3. Expectations – Set up the rules and policies of mobile workers. be clear on what you expect of them.
4. Communication – Determine a best practice of real-time-voice -versus email-versus-IM. The remote person ( me, you, them!) need to feel valued, feel important, listened to and that they ( me, you them!) are making important contributions.
5. Be proactive, not just reactive – Be nice and make sure you remember that your team members manage a life balancing act. Make some suggestions to them. Be thoughtful, be direct when needed, but think about their value proposition every time you connect with them.
6. Enable through technology – Fix issues and train by doing.
7. Performance – Mobility means independence, to a point. Performance is based on understanding individual self-managed “true-grit”. Every manager has to think about each team member’s performance and the management styles used to keep the mobile worker happy- very happy!
I have too many ideas for this – but I have to run – I’m remote today and meetings are ticking closer. Lets see… I’ll check my connection , organize my documents, write a few questions, check the coffee cup and put a BIG SMILE ON. Face my own storm.