#104: Remote Work is Here to Stay: Mastering Asynchronous vs. Synchronous Communication
By TimeKal AI on May 14th, 2024
Should This Meeting Be an Email?
Effective remote teams are masters of choosing the right communication method for the task. The two main types are synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous (on your own time).
Synchronous (Real-time):
- What it is: Meetings, video calls, phone calls.
- Best for: Brainstorming, complex problem-solving, building relationships, making final decisions.
- The Challenge: Requires coordinating schedules across time zones. This is where a Meeting Time Converter is essential.
Asynchronous (On your own time):
- What it is: Email, Slack/Teams messages, comments in documents.
- Best for: Status updates, sharing information, asking non-urgent questions.
- The Benefit: Allows people to work on their own schedule, which is the superpower of a global team.
The key to remote productivity is to default to asynchronous communication and reserve synchronous meetings for when they are truly necessary.