November 17, 2023

Air Greenland flyver til Aalborg - Du sparer kun 10-15 minutter

“Air Greenland flyver til Aalborg!”. Da jeg så nyheden om, at jeg næste år kan flyve direkte fra Grønland til min fødeby, var min nordjyske begejstring så stor, at jeg næsten kom i godt humør.

Det gik dog hurtigt over, og fik mig i stedet til at tænke på, hvor meget tid den nye rute mon sparer mig? Og hvor meget tid sparer den folk generelt?

Det Store Spørgsmål

March 25, 2022

Writing vs. Groupthink

“So, what do you all think?” I said. Everyone liked it. Or, at least no one disliked it. And everybody agreed that we should continue this way.

Weeks prior, I had helped the team get started with the agile framework ‘Scrum’, and we had now come to the monthly evaluation meeting. This was the time to raise all concerns, pain points, and suggestions for improvement, but everyone was happy.

I was surprised. I wouldn’t call the last few weeks a catastrophe, but clearly, there had been problems. Problems which I was sure the whole team saw and agreed on, but at this meeting, everything seemed to be so perfect.

March 16, 2022

What is the Hybrid Workplace?

Since I started this blog, I have gotten the same question repeatedly: “What is the Hybrid Workplace?”

Since that’s all I talk about, I better explain. 😅 So here’s a short video:

If you have suggestions like this, please let me know. Are there other topics I should cover? What type of post would you like more of? Is there a previous topic where you want more detail?

March 9, 2022

“The book was better” - Why virtual reality won’t improve online meetings

In the past year, both Facebook and Microsoft have launched plays to “enhance” online meetings with virtual reality.

When companies this big both places bets on the same technology, it seems like it’s destined for success. Surely, in the future, we must find a VR headset on every mantelpiece in the hybrid workplace.

But even though the announcement videos looks exciting, impressive, and futuristic, they also show a lack of understanding about what’s needed for remote collaboration. And it highlight’s a common misunderstanding about how we create a great hybrid workplace.

March 2, 2022

3 Ways To Create Connections in the Hybrid Workplace

Last week I wrote about in-person bias and the challenges it causes for companies that are introducing more flexibility in when and where their employees work.

It’s natural. You can’t care deeply about all 7,929,161,471 humans. Those you see daily take up more of your thoughts. They have your empathy, trust, and attention.

In larger companies, where people collaborate across multiple offices, this has always created friction. The gears run smoothly in each individual office, but when the clockwork is put together, the gears grind. The connections between offices are rusty.

February 23, 2022

I Did an Experiment Which Reveals the Biggest Challenge in the Hybrid Workplace

This week, I want to dig up and reevaluate an experiment I did three years ago.

Back then, I worked with a team of eight. I wasn’t on the project full time, so I sat at my own desk some 25 meters away from the rest. Estimated travel time: 15 seconds.

Despite the short distance, I noticed that I was rarely asked about the project, except if I happened to cross someone in the hallway. I also saw that decisions were often taken before I knew they were up for discussion. Why was that?

February 16, 2022

How Building Stages Taught Me the Importance of Visualising Work

People thought we were the nerds. We thought we were the cool nerds.

In University, I volunteered in a group that did stage productions for all concerts and parties on campus. If you needed massive speakers, smoke, and flashing lights, you would call us.

We spend a ridiculous amount of our free time in this group, connecting cables, assembling podiums, and programming shows. And when the house lights turned on, and everybody hurried to get their coats, we stayed behind to disassemble everything—I just realised why people considered us the nerds.

February 9, 2022

How to Improve Hybrid Meetings Without Spending $219,795

The way to improve hybrid meetings is to not have them at all.

I know it sounds like stupid advice, but bear with me. Hybrid meetings don’t work, and you always have a better alternative.

Good, good, bad

There are 3 meeting types: in-person, virtual, and hybrid.

In-person meetings are great. Conversations flow, and you can discuss many topics at once. It’s a great place to get to know people.

February 2, 2022

Always Plan an Activity for Your Virtual Social Meetings, but Don't Overdo It

Put 4 people in a physical meeting room, and they will start talking.

Put 4 people in a virtual meeting room, and they will stare at each other, not knowing what to do.

Why this is, I’ll cover another time, but the cure is easy: have a planned activity.

For virtual social meetings, my favourite activities are:

Share Pictures
- Show a picture you took recently.
Icebreaker Questions
- Have 5 questions ready, and take turns answering them.

You should never be more than 5 people for these activities. If the group is bigger, use breakout rooms to divide the pack.

January 28, 2022

How to Avoid Virtual Meeting's Most Awkward Questions

“Can you hear me?”
“Can you see my screen?”

If you attend virtual meetings, you hear these questions too often.

And you know the tumult that follows, where everybody scramble to find their unmute button and affirm that “Yes! We can hear you.”. Luckily, it’s easy to avoid:

In virtual meetings change questions to assertions.

Don’t say “Can you see my presentation?”; say “You should see my presentation now”. People will protest if they cannot.