Reprise of an old rant

You know – for all the advances in collaboration technology over the years, it’s still a d*mn challenge to collaborate at a distance.  Even worse than physical distance, are distant timezones.  And the competition for those scant overlapping time slots.  When you are separated by distance, you miss out on watercooler conversations, quick “FYI’s” from colleagues about the someone’s mood or an interesting/important visitor.  You miss out on the general vibe, color and mood of the workplace.

When you are separated by timezones, there is fierce competition for those few hours when “your” timezone and “their” timezone overlap.  It’s no coincidence that Outlook calendars around global businesses are booked solid daily from 8 am to noon New York time (1pm to 5pm London).  So… you need to get through to that important stakeholder in London – but you are booked solid during those time slots?   And they are booked solid during those time slots?  They’re free at that time in two weeks, but that’s too far out.  You need to speak with them sooner.  What to do?  The inevitable:  Your day inches earlier another half hour to catch an open timeslot.  Then maybe another hour.  Then folks in your time zone start doing the same thing.  Then folks across the pond start suggesting earlier and earlier meeting times because they see you’re willing to meet then, and because it’s the only time slot.  It’s like an arms race.

~ by Eric Kristoff on April 3, 2009.