Introduction

There’s a lot of talk since the COVID-19 outbreak around remote work. Some argue that they are more productive while others have reached to a burn-out point. The reality is that every one of us is different and values different things. Some people do miss human interaction, while for others the fact that they don’t have to come close to another human being again is godsend.

But how could face-to-face human interaction - or the lack of it - affect a team?

Detour

I recently read “Gates of Fire” by Stephen Pressfield. The book finishes by describing the great battle between Greeks and Persians at Thermopylae, but a big part of it is devoted to what made the Spartans such a formidable force.

Constant training on the field, total and complete focus on war (after all it was Spartans main occupation) and fear management (to perform the commonplace under far-from-commonplace conditions as is so eloquently mentioned in the book) are all there. But what intrigues me is the reference to an unseen glue as the most important factor in Spartans success. Quoting from the book as Suicide is addressing Dienekes

‘‘I understood then that it was the glue that made the phalanx great. The unseen glue that bound it together. I realized that all the drill and discipline you Spartans love to pound into each other’s skulls were really not to inculcate skill or art, but only to produce this glue.’’

The most important thing that came out of this constant training and interaction was the feeling of trust and camaraderie between the Spartan warriors. That was the glue. The phalanx was all about teamwork anyway. It could break apart even if only few warriors were overrun. It was really important to count on the warrior next to you. And to feel that you are brothers-in-arms. That, in a situation of chaos and disorder you can draw strength from your fellow warrior as he draws from you. To feel you are part of a single unit.

Back to the present

Moving from the book’s dusty battlefields to real corporate and shiny offices, I couldn’t get this thought out of my mind. It also reminded me of a past colleague who was hailing departing developers he respected and calling them “warriors”.

It dawned on me that it’s the little everyday things and that continuous interaction that builds that glue.

Having a critical incident on production and deciding to stay with a colleague to fight your way through it. Picking a chair and sitting next to him, both troubled and lost but not desperate. The feeling that you are not alone in this. After all, they say that strong relationships are forged in fire.

And then, there are more subtle things. Walking over the shoulders of a teammate and giving a pat on the back when he has the a-ha moment. The smile on your face when you have a new idea on how to deal with a certain issue and sharing it with others. Getting into a room and drawing on the board or having a chit-chat over the water cooler. Going for lunch or a smoke to let the steam out or just talking about things you love or hate. Even your body posture or the eye contact you are gonna have can transmit feelings and messages in a way no other form of communication can.

It’s moments of empathy and camaraderie like these that form that glue. It’s moments like these that can fuel team members with courage and give them purpose. That can make them feel safe and have fun while working.

Closing thoughts

This is not a post that advocates going back to on-site work or anything. It’s here to highlight that there are unseen and not easily measurable factors that can make the difference between a good and a great team.

I just hope that this new way of working without seeing each other can find a way to form the unseen glue.