“Ping?”
I’m not sure where this word came from or why it stuck.
But it’s one of the most important questions in our business.
We’ve been remote working for years, I mean way before it became fashionable.
Over time we’ve learnt how to smooth some of the rough edges.
One thing that annoys people about remote working, is that you can’t just pop over to ask someone something.
The spontaneity and immediacy are gone.
Instead, you have to schedule yet another call.
This is where the humble ‘ping’ comes in.
A ping is an invitation.
It’s a message to a colleague, saying, “are you free for a quick chat”.
Not an hour-long Zoom/Teams/Meets.
Just a quick chat.
The kind of chat where minds can meet.
Decisions can be taken
Progress made.
How does it work?
It’s super simple.
Use your instant messaging platform.
Select the person or group you need.
Then type “ping?” and hit send.
In our business, we know what this means.
Someone needs our input on something quickly so that they can get on with what they were doing.
If you’re free, launch a call and get chatting.
Most of these are done in under 10 minutes.
Of course, it’s ok to not to drop everything all the time. Just let them know you’ve heard them and when you’ll be able to chat.
It’s such a simple thing.
But it makes a big difference.
It’s permission.
Permission to interrupt.
Permission to say “no, not right now, but soon”.
It cuts barriers to communication.
It keeps the spontaneity.
It keeps the flow.
I hope it works for you.
By: Jeremy Hollow