One thing the workplace has lost with severe consequences is the ability to speak the truth. While working remote, I regularly have brutal conversations via mobile phone that I could never have in a Zoom meeting, face-to-face, or anywhere in the building.
The results are such that processes that previously took weeks to accomplish can be done in three days. No more dancing around and playing games because no one is willing to call something like it really is.
Face-to-face meetings are lessons in tap dancing through a mine field. They're opportunities for delusional managers have people tell them "yes" despite knowing it's going to fail spectacularly.
It's not a coincidence that since working remotely, we've had our weakest links retire or transfer to other departments within the company. These were the ones who could look busy all day but do nothing except drag others down.
In addition, we now work with firms half way across the country that we would never have done if we stayed with the outdated model of being present in a cubicle farm. The conversations are much better since the widespread firms have staff that run circles around the "locals".
“Face-to-face meetings are lessons in tap dancing through a mine field. They’re opportunities for delusional managers have people tell them “yes” despite knowing it’s going to fail spectacularly.”
Great post—every MBA student should read it—over and over and over and over again—until they learn not to be that delusional manager wasting their staff’s time in another stupid meeting.