Coincidentally, the site isn’t just for kids.  Even old dogs can learn new tricks from What College Forgot.  In an article entitled Perception at Work Matters, writer Gale Bowman discusses unwritten workplace rules that may help you manage your manager’s and co-workers’ perception of you.  Among them?  The importance of face time.

Gale writes, “In a perfect world, you would be judged primarily by the substance of the work you produce. Unfortunately [however], politics play a role in how others perceive you.”  She helps readers assess the culture of an organization with a few quick check points:

• If leaders measure your productivity by time, rather than results . . .
• If the company won’t flex work schedules . . .
• If the company frowns on telecommuting . . .
• If employees are rewarded for putting in long hours . . .

When these cultural clues are prevalent, you may need to exploit face time in order to be recognized.  In fact, Gale cautions readers to “get in the habit of staying late [at least] a couple days a week”.

Whoa! If co-located employees have to start earlier or stay later to manage perceptions in a traditional office, how much more important is face time for virtual teams and work at home professionals?  Here, its distance that influences how others perceive you.

Sure, more companies are recognizing the value of remote work programs.  But, the jury is still out.  The prevailing perception remains that work at home may not involve as much W-O-R-K as work executed in a traditional office.  As a remote worker, you must manage the perception of how effectively you leverage your time.

So, how do virtual work teams and work at home professionals define face time?  And what are the benefits of using face time to help you stay visible when you’re virtual?

Simply put, face time is intentional communication.  It may refer to face to face meetings, but more often, represents electronic, telephone or video communication.

The good news is that your company may already have measures in place to facilitate face time.  You may be asked to log in to an instant messaging tool during work hours, have and use a webcam, maintain a shared calendar or participate in regular 1 on 1’s.   If you are self-employed or aren’t required to practice these simple habits, maybe it’s time to start.

I had a conversation recently with David, a very astute and attractive Charlotte-based attorney, turned independent sales representative, turned financial advisor.  He regaled me with stories of how he applies a Ritz Carlton “Gold Standard” approach to serving his clients – a majority of whom have 7-figure incomes.

Ritz Carlton’s “Gold Standards” begin with three simple Service Values:

1. build strong relationships and create “guests for life”
2. respond to both expressed and unexpressed needs and;
3. create unique, memorable and personal experiences for guests

David talked rather passionately about the importance of building strong relationships by staying in touch.   “The clients I work with need time to get to know me.  Especially,” he told me, “with the hit the financial services industry has taken these past years.”

David secured plenty of new business during the economic downturn because other financial advisors were not intentional about communicating with their clients.  Many financial advisors had too many clients to connect with.  They remained silent as their clients watched their investments and life savings evaporate, right before their eyes.  What’s worse, some did not reach out because they were too afraid to discuss the bad news!  They made it easy for service oriented financial advisors like David to convert their clients – simply, by providing routine opportunities to speak with him personally.

Our conversation got me thinking about great customer service.  I wondered, is the “Gold Standard” transferable?  What would happen for instance, if corporate work teams or other remote workers adopted such a policy?  Is it possible to create “guests for life” even if you are hundreds of miles away?  If so, how?  What would that look like?  Would we be more connected?  More effective?

Curious, what’s your opinion?

How can virtual teams, internet-based businesses and work at home professionals build strong relationships and create personal experiences for our “guests” (clients, customers, co-workers, team members, etc.) when we don’t see them every day?

“A virtual team is group of people who use technology to collaborate across space, time and organizational boundaries.”

Would you consider that a fair definition? To me, Mastering Virtual Teams’ definition sounds a just bit off target. It is too simplistic.

No more than we would describe the American football team, the New England Patriots as simply, a group of people who use sports equipment to collaborate on a grassy field  . . . should we describe a virtual team as merely “a group of people who use the same technology to collaborate”.  It’s a rather paltry definition because the Patriots are of course, waaaay more than that and similarly, so are virtual teams.

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the New England Patriots are a force to reckoned.  The Patriots have gone to their Division Playoffs 13 times.  They are 1 of only 2 NFL teams to win three Superbowls in four years and the ONLY team with a 21-game winning streak!  In short, they are POWERFUL.  And, so are virtual teams!

Did you know that virtual teams have the power to save your life?

History has taught us that companies must prepare for whatever unexpected event might stop their business from operating.  Since the aftermath of September 11, virtual work teams have become a matter of necessity.  On that tragic day, New York emergency workers were unable to get to post due to road closings and increased security precautions and government workers at the Pentagon were left without offices and therefore, had no way to carry out critical government functions.

Since then, virtual teams (and the technologies that support them) have been integrated into federal government continuity plans.  In 2010, President Obama signed into law, a bill aimed at increasing telework within the federal government.  Under the Telework Enhancement Act, government agencies were given 180 days to do three things:

• establish policies on working remotely
• identify eligible employees and;
• inform those employees of the option to work remotely

Think about it.  The virtual workforce may be the vehicle that will enable governments and corporations to continue service to constituents in the event of terrorist attacks, snowstorms, and national or perhaps even, global disasters.  And you thought they were just for saving you gas!

Honestly, I’m not so sure I have a work routine. Depends on the calendar. Lately, my weeks have consisted of 1 or 2 days in the office before dashing off to teach an Excellence in Speaking Institute for Ty Boyd Enterprises or chaperone an overnight field trip with one of my boys. Occasionally, I get a full week in the office, but it’s landscape is dotted with very necessary phone and face-to-face meetings (Tuesday thru Thursday), administrativia (Mondays) and productivity coaching sessions (Fridays) — all with a bit of white space scheduled in here and there.

Ooh, maybe I’ve just described a routine?

In any case, I try to make the most of whatever time I have, but there always seems to be more to do.

I had a cool realization last week: “My best is good enough.” Afterall, I told myself, “It’s all I have . . . all I’m capable of.”

You see, I’m a hard worker and very systematic. But, I also have this creative genius that likes to spread her wings. My creative genius is the one who needs that white space. She spends time experimenting with new ideas, planning for the future and just chillin’. What’s odd is that I crank out more of my best “traditional” work only after I’ve had the white space.

To me, that’s what productivity is . . . It’s you doing your best.

Sometimes my best is hours on end surfing the net experimenting with a new software or design idea that may not pan out. Sometimes it’s back to back meetings all day. Sometimes it’s pulling an “all nighter” to crank out a creative spurt that comes to you just as you’re hitting the sheets.

Unlike 9 to 5 ‘ers, the work at home professional’s productivity is results based. Back in cubicle-land, you were expected to hang out from 8 am to 5 or 6 pm — no matter how you felt or what you accomplished. The measure was how many hours you put in. Not necessarily how effective you were.

Thank God for white space.

Many work at home professionals are already making the most of today’s communication tools. You may use e-mail, instant messenger and social media like Twitter or Face Book to stay visible. These useful communication tools may be the right course in some situations, but more personal and immediate connections are necessary to stay connected.

I don’t know about you, but once I have responded to a slew of e-mails or spent a few moments on Facebook, I have to move on to completing work projects. E-mail messages can get lost in the crowd. It’s weird that we tend use every technology tool on the market – except, one of the oldest and most basic, yet effective.

Yes, the telephone!

The telephone is an essential lifeline to your business or career. Telephone and conference calls provide a personal exchange that cannot be mimicked by any other technology tool.

Let’s explore three benefits that the telephone offers over e-mail, instant messenger or social media.

1. Nuances of Vocal Color

How your client or colleague says something is just as important as what they say – if not more. When you HEAR communication, your brain processes not only the words, but also the tone of voice, pitch and speed. Vocal color can change the meaning, entirely. For instance, if your clients snarls while saying “I am so pleased with the project.”, you might be prompted to dig for more details. Conversely, you won’t hear a snarl in e-mail.

2. Pure Response

Phone conversations allow you to receive immediate unfiltered reactions from your colleagues and / or clients. You know the kind: You’ve heard the long pause, the quiet gasp or inhale before the words even leave their mouth.

Unlike e-mail, IM or social networking, there is no time to rearrange the wording or confer with a thesaurus before hitting send. There is great value in a “pure” response. Even in silence, cues can be taken to help you better service your clients, work more cohesively with your team or correct a misunderstanding before it gets out of hand or clarify what you’ve said.

3. The Power of Laughter

For virtual workers, collaboration and relationships are everything. One of the best ways to foster relationship is to laugh together. Understanding your colleagues’ sense of humor is key. It can help you develop rapport or smooth an issue with a more seasoned one. I don’t know about you but, reading LOL, RFOL or TEE HEE just doesn’t have the same impact as an infectious giggle.

The long recession is taking a bite out of everyone’s bottom line. With something as simple and available as the telephone, why not do what you can to stay visible – so that you continue to flourish!