Penny for your thoughts…

Betsy blogged on an article she read on the social effects of sharing “tidbits” of information via collaborative tools like Facebook, Twitter, etc.  I love the blog and the content from the article in the NY Times that she refers to by Clive Thompson.  I have previously blogged on the importance of allowing this type of information exchange and display.  Remote teams need to feel connected and need to know something about each other to feel loyal to one another and to begin to truly collaborate.  You probably chat with people you see day to day in the office, why not have some repor with those that are across the country and around the globe.  The summary is what I love; it states in conclusion that:

Clive Thompson’s article illustrates that ambient awareness can be achieved by frequent electronic contact, and can have positive effects on relationships.  This is especially relevant to virtual teams, who often struggle to enable personal contact among members.  But that contact is crucial for team building, trust, and cohesion.  We suggest moving away from the matter-of-fact, directive email that may be the typical communication between team members.  See if your team can gain a better, deeper connection among team members by developing communication in this new way.

Thanks to Betsy for the blog and thanks to Michael Sampson for directing me to this blog from his blog today!  Happy Collaborating