Posted by Blogger@ dsiiti.com on Mon, May 03, 2010 @ 04:00 PM
In the last couple of trips out to facilities, I noted a peculiar new trend.
I say ‘trend’ not to minimize it, but simply something that more and more people are doing.
Fewer people are shaking hands.
I grew up with the notion that extending one's hand was a symbol of respect and humility.
Without it, you are practically starting out the conversation as if to say, "Nice to meet you at a reasonable distance."
I knew that if I ever traveled to another country that I was bound to violate a custom of some sort, but it was only a travel of a few hours away that my notions about this ritual were challenged. I was introduced to an executive and I extended my hand. He said that he had just sanitized his hands (as he was rubbing them together.) Initially, I had thought he didn't want to offend me with a wet sanitizer-laced hand. As we shook hands, much to my surprise, he looked and said, "I guess I'll sanitize again." It really took me a few days to realize that this was a new norm until I saw the interaction again in public.
Now the greeting goes something like:
Joe: "Hi Bill! Haven't seen you in a while" [extends hand]
Bill: "Hey! How are ya doin'? Oh sorry, I just washed my hands" [offers elbow bump]
There are several studies extolling the pros and cons about sanitizing, coughing in elbows, staying home (my favorite), and everything including fashionable mask wear. Putting science aside...which you don't know how hard that is for me to do... what about this new social norm applies to OMS projects?
For the most part, it got me thinking a bit about how we're isolating ourselves these days. A lot of people are spending more time on computers and interacting that way. Then I thought about our OMS project practices and interactions. Why do we travel on-site? What do we get out of email? Do conference calls really help keep things on track?
I focused quite a bit of my career on performance technology that reduces/eliminating "geographic disparity". One of the challenges to this new-at-the-time use of technology was the crime of social isolation. In that we would be creating an environment where we could lose all social norms as we know it. Funny how H1N1 would push us that way anyway. Every single one of our OMS projects consists of almost daily interactions with our clients. And we have clients in almost every state. In this current climate of belt-tightening, two days of travel only to be on-site for 1.5 days is an awfully expensive way of doing business. There are times when it doesn't make economic sense for the facility to either pay OT or have key stakeholders away from their posts for days at a time.
While there's still tremendous value in seeing the operations, there are many interactions that don't require that type of focus and can be done asynchronously. In fact, we could argue that having slated work time rather than 'meeting' time can add a lot more value to bringing a project to fruition.
Think about having remote access, conference calls, and our favorite-- email. All of them can be combined or used individually to keep our interactions alive and productive. Learning at a distance is now very feasible and effective. At times, it's even preferred because of scheduling, costs, and/or lack of access to a training venue.
There are always real challenges and naysayers (for the joy of saying nay)... In those times, I make the analogy that learning a new offender management system may be akin to learning how to communicate electronically for more than we're used to. Reports can be automated. The ‘Help’ section can refresh your memory on how to do a quick task. And learning can happen without the trainer being physically in the room.
I don't think DSI is trying to isolate anyone by offering remote training, remote access, and remote work. In fact, it keeps things affordable as well as flexible for the clients. I'm also not sure that we will be sending hand sanitizer with every contract... However, we can start thinking about shaking hands again... online.