Let’s face it we are in lockdown. On a daily basis, we see the four walls where we work. Perhaps we do the school drop-off. Or we go for a walk, run or cycle to get some fresh air. Apart from that, we are confined to our homes. We are socially distanced and we are protecting families from the virus.
Working remotely has its pros and cons. There is less of a commute and pollution that goes with it. But the camaraderie of an office the small talk and chance meetings have vanished. It means tapping somebody on the shoulder to get their opinion on something is a little bit tricky. It also means that we are flying blind. What I mean is you not seeing people or screens as often.
Have you been on a video call recently where someone is describing something quite visual yet they are not sharing their screen? Of course, screens are shared but not always. This lack of visibility is equivalent to driving a car with mud on your screen. It leads to a lack of transparency which then leads to problems with alignment and control.
You don’t need to know all of the details. However, seeing is believing. Once you visually see something it’s easier to understand and give feedback. If visibility in business is low then there are inherent risks. You start to run the business on assumptions.
If people are following a standard operating procedure and instructions are followed to buy the book including guidelines then perhaps the quality of output will be met irrespective. In creative industries where there is a lot of obscurity and quality is judged differently a lack of visualisation can cause a lot of rework. Instead of getting creative right the first time, too many iterations can occur. This is where screencasting comes into its own. Not only for setting a design brief but for the sign off process. Whether it’s the front-end or the back end of a creative campaign greater visibility improves outcomes.
Remote work is not about presence it’s about productivity. Increasing visibility in your business is the equivalent of turning your lights on full beam when you’re driving in the dark. It’s only when the lights are on full that you can see the rabbits running out onto the road.
Yes, it is true to say that having your beam on full does dazzle some people. Some people in your business will be uncomfortable with this level of transparency. However, without it, you’re poking in the dark. Your second-guessing that the quality of work conforms to your standards. You’re running your business blind.
Knowing every detail in your business would be too much. It would be overkill. Nevertheless having visibility of key projects, campaigns and ensuring that they are on a path to success is peace of mind that any board of directors would value.
For smart creatives the use of video messaging, and screencasts is a culture shift worth pursuit in this new normal. Constructive criticism, show and tells with full transparency will allow you to see around the corners in your business. This in turn will mitigate risks around customer satisfaction, profitability and having a happy team pursuing a common goal. Without this level of visibility, we are all in danger of having an accident. Whilst some of the best inventions in the world have been by accident. Generally, we want to avoid accidents and unnecessary surprises. With this in mind fostering a culture of openness and transparency will allow you to see more clearly your path to business success.
So put your beam on full, get video messaging and see your people and their work more often. Discover problems early and celebrate success with the best seats in the house. Build a cinematic culture which encourages filmmaking, storytelling and dare I say couch potatoes. Only instead of people watching Netflix, you’re watching videos about getting work done! It’s not about entertainment it’s about education. Everyone in your business understanding their part to play and how others are fitting into the wider jigsaw puzzle is a pursuit worth watching. Video messaging for work should be part of your digital evolution because it leads to greater transparency and control.