Cultivating Productive Collaboration in a Remote Work Era

For many creative teams, a typical brainstorming session might mean a huddle around a board, or sitting around in groups exchanging ideas and building on them, but with remote work on the rise, the nature of group dynamics is changing and so must our collaboration methods.

To stay afloat, you must build a structure, clarity, and consistency as these are the main keystones of remote workdays. This could take the form of a daily block of time to hear from every team member, and promoting open dialogue for team members to share concerns, challenges or successes.

Employ psychological shortcuts by creating a space that matches the work mindset. This could mean that you incorporate touchstones of your office into your home workspace. Use environmental tricks to signal to your brain that it’s time to clock in and shift gears.

Protect the quiet moments. If your creative process typically thrives on ambient sounds, it can be tough to embrace the silence of working from home. But this unexpected pause can be an ally. Take the time to understand your innate creative rhythm, and build in the time you need for your mind to spin free and wander.

Hone your self-editing skills, and develop an independence that can supercharge your creative instincts. Walk away from your ideas, and come back to them with fresh eyes, and when it is time to collaborate with others, you will be more open to new perspectives and approaches.

Set the mood and strike the right note for every meeting. When it comes time to voice those fleeting thoughts or sparks that have great potential, a welcoming environment is crucial to the creative process.

Outside of your usual work environment, you have new visual influences to explore so embrace familiarity to connect with your creative spark. Learn a new skill, collaborate with someone you normally don’t work with and let yourself adapt and observe in ways you don’t typically give yourself space to explore.