I faced a daunting task early in my career: managing a complex project that spanned continents. From content creation in Ireland, tech and implementation in eLearning courses done in India, localization of those courses in 16 languages managed from Amsterdam, to QA done in the US, it was a project that tested my abilities. Still, the lessons I learned from it were invaluable and have since strongly marked my approach to project management.
Managing a project with teams scattered across multiple locations or time zones can be daunting. One of the most significant lessons I learned from that experience was the power of asynchronous communication. At that time, we had little but email and almost did not use instant messaging apps. The challenges faced in that situation made me an unconditional fan of modern communication tools. If we had had something like JIRA to plan the projects or communication tools like Discord, Slack, or even Teams :-), it would have given the crew superpowers.
However, leveraging the right tools and workflows enables overcoming many hurdles, but it is only a part of it. It's essential to be conscious of the characteristics of such projects and comprehend the many benefits of the situation.
Mastering Asynchronous Communication is essential to facing complex global projects. In this post series, I will address the indisputable benefits of Asynchronous Management (Part 1—this post), the challenges this approach brings (Part 2), and the strategies, best practices, and cultural considerations (Part 3). To finalize this series, I will discuss how to measure the success of your asynchronous project or program (Part 4).
Part 1: The Good
Asynchronous communication proves invaluable in enabling teams to work together effectively, leveraging geographic dispersion. Information, updates, and feedback can be shared and accessed anytime, eliminating the need for complex scheduling and accommodating varying work hours across time zones.
With asynchronous communication, team members can concentrate on tasks without constant interruptions or the continuous need for real-time meetings. When done right, meetings should focus on generating new ideas, to-the-point validations, and especially strategic decision-making. Minimizing disruptions allows team members to focus on tasks more effectively, leading to a more productive (and relaxed) work environment.
Asynchronous communication allows for deeper focus and higher productivity, as individuals can work during their most productive hours without being disrupted by conflicting schedules. Working and managing asynchronously allows teams to schedule work according to personal preferences and responsibilities. This undoubtedly improves work-life balance and reduces stress and burnout. Embracing asynchronous practices with a team that knows how to do this right brings a sense of relief and freedom that increases productivity.
While managing global asynchronous projects is challenging, embracing asynchronous communication is a game-changer. It enables distributed teams to collaborate seamlessly, allows for the exchange of expertise worldwide, and allows for better work-life balance while maintaining productivity and focus.
There are challenges, however, that need to be considered; check Part 2 of this series.