Tools: Virtual Co-Working
I’m working with a small company to help build resilient systems for communication, belonging, and equity. They have established some virtual co-working hours with a loose structure and guidelines to keep it working for everyone. It’s a great concept that I’m hoping to personalize and tweak for other clients. I’m also interested in applying this tool to other types of communities and individuals who need more connection without a lot of expectation. It’s an amalgamation of the morning pages poppins I do with DC Writer's Salon and a formal zoom meeting with an agenda/schedule/rigidity to it. For poppins, I sign on to a zoom for 30 minutes on weekdays and write for 20 minutes simultaneously with others. It creates just enough accountability and community to keep me coming back and showing up for my own practice. Whereas a formal zoom meeting has all kinds of expectations and baggage. Virtual co-working is a bit of both.
A virtual co-working space can be set up to accommodate the specific needs of the group, acting as the just-right container for mutual goings-on. For co-workers in the same company, it makes sense to have a 5-15 minute period of checking in, seeing if side-bar meetings need to happen (hello breakout rooms or follow-up meetings), and then getting down to doing individual work, simultaneously for a pre-determined period of time.
Considerations:
Camera’s on or off? Decide as a group.
Sound on or off? Decide as a group.
Length/frequency of virtual co-working? Decide as a group.
5-15 minute closing share-out? Highly recommend.
All members empowered to suggest conversations that are dominating the space (more than 15 minutes) be taken into a breakout room/follow up session? Highly recommend.
Tools like jamboard for capturing ideas? Highly recommend.
And, the size of the group may just be two. A coaching client expressed the need to connect more with their supervisor in a casual way… the type of connection that happens organically when we share physical space. I suggested they ask for a virtual co-working hour with their supervisor each week to create this space to come together and see what comes up as they co-work. There is no pressure for either to show up prepared for a meeting, but the opportunity to address issues in real-time, build trust, and maintain connection is built into this shared virtual space.
Casual human contact is imperative for healthy relationships to thrive. Casual contact happens organically in a shared space. In this virtual working world, we have to improvise and get creative with the tools available, build new tools, and intentionally create the space for casual contact. Virtual co-working offers this space for relationships between co-workers, friends, and strangers to exist.
I have questions around the maximum size of a co-working community: how many people can feel seen, heard, and valued and still use the co-working space efficiently?
I need to field test this idea and collect some data!
One of my favorite things to do.
Let’s go!
Mondays 11-12pm
@dinosandcomics on instagram