When you work remotely, technology failures can cause confusion, eat up valuable time, and make you look unprofessional. You can reduce the impact of tech snafus by planning for them. For example, when you set up your remote work tools before a big conference call, catalog potential risks and think through worst-case scenarios. Brainstorm a plan B (what should you do if you’re kicked off the call?), and do a few trial runs to make sure it’s viable. And keep important information close by. You might even create a “technology crisis card” for quick reference, writing down the name and version of your computer’s operating system, account information for your most important tools, and contact information for a local, in-home IT service.
Adapted from Virtual Collaboration (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series)
