Time was we would gather ‘round the water cooler and complain about work, put the world to rights, and catch up on Netflix. It was a way of feeling part of the crew, a fellow traveller, and a human being in the vastness of the digital universe. That water cooler moment was what kept folk sane.

It was a cultural thing: an honest expression of who we were. A way of ‘rapping’ with friends and work-mates. I’m not saying we were singing and dancing but we were certainly having a meeting of minds. It was also a great way of keeping up with what we were doing: checking progress, sorting stuff out.

Staying on target

Meanwhile, to quote Captain Obvious, what’s changed is that “we’re all working from home.”

WFH, big deal.

Actually it is a big deal because now the normal rules of work don’t apply. The water cooler is silent, and a whole lot else has gone straight out of the window. The most important -- depending on your take -- is line-of-sight management. In particular it’s a really bad time for micro-managers, and frankly, for control freakery in general.

It’s certainly not great for those who need structure in their world, lots of structure, lots and lots of structure. Did I say structure? Look, everything needs to be planned six months in advance. In personality terms this is what’s called high Conscientiousness (C). On the flip side, it’s a fantastic time for high C’s free-wheeling cousin, low C. Low C hates being organised and just wants to go with the flow. Problem is this often turns into a whole lot of talk followed by frantic, last-minute action.

What to do? Here are two ideas that work for both Conscientiousness cousins. They provide structure and a new ‘flow’ that should keep everyone happy. When the customary channels of communication are shut down, think:

• Task and process before goals and roles. Concentrate on the details of the task and how it’s going to be done: basically what needs to happen and how? Don’t get hung up on goals and egos before you’ve even left the runway. The ‘method’ is king. Return at regular intervals to see what is or isn’t working, and adjust.
• Rhythm and rhyme not rock and roll. A pulse is needed and that comes from having regular meetings. Same time, same day, every week. Clarity about communication channels -- agree on what works best -- and on an agenda! This becomes the measure of work-flow: the new ‘normal’. Resist at all costs the last minute swerve, and of course, any party crashers.

Virtual water cooler

Remember the rap? If it’s all work-work-work the task crowds out everything else. Those water cooler moments are lost, information flow is messed up, and team cohesion takes a dive. Everyone who is WFH needs to gather around a ‘virtual’ water cooler for new routines to work...

So kick-off your team meetings with a check-in, let people talk about what they’re doing in the real world, laugh/cry over the state of the Universe, discuss Yoda’s poor grasp of grammar, let everyone have a really good rant. It’s good for you! It’s also what drives engagement and motivation.

While you’re doing this, have a thought for another pair of cousins: high and low Extraversion (E). High E is energetic, quick-fire and has things that need to be said. Quieter, more thoughtful, low E, likes to take their time and savor thoughts like a fine wine before sharing with others.

The formula for helping the cousins play nicely is simple:

• Think-Do-Think. If you’re high E, leave space for others to think and talk. This means don’t yabber over everyone all the time. And maybe think a little more before you open your mouth.
• Do-Think-Do. If you’re low E, don’t squash the energy out of meetings, but try and ride the bow-wave of energy generated by your colleagues. And maybe try to open up more often.

…And you never know, next time we get ‘round a real water cooler we might all just have a good sing and a dance.

To learn how to leverage the power of personality and create a virtual water cooler in your company, connect with Traitify. Or if you want to know more about the Big Five personality model, watch our short but perfectly formed video.