Virtual Teamwork & Balance in Uncertain Times
Growing up I played sports, and by no means did I excel at any of them. Nonetheless I played on a variety of teams. Whether it was volleyball, softball or soccer (my favorite; sadly bad at it), I understood the concept of being on a team and what it meant to be a team member. Now fast forward to adulthood ..those teams I cherished as a child are now replaced with colleagues; working together towards the same goal.
Recently times have been hard and have become pretty uncertain with the rise of COVID — 19.
I would have never anticipated having to live and work through a global pandemic. My once personalized interactive and social day-to-day has been swapped out for Zoom meetings, calls and screen time. What’s for certain is this: I’m still on a team and now that feels different more than it’s ever been. We are “showing up” for each other in different impactful ways. My team checks in on each other even more, even if it’s just a ping on slack, a text, or a funny GIF. We now recognize that it’s hard being disconnected from others, and they listen to my concerns and try to ease my anxieties.
Not only do we just show up for each other as a team, but we show up for everyone in different types of ways. The concept of team does not just end with the people I share a pod with, but rather it extends to the entire company. The People and Places team (the team I’m on) focuses on fostering a culture of belonging and inclusivity, where people come first. The way we show up is not only for my immediate team, but for the entire company…standing next to each other (even if it is only virtual) saying to each other that we are all in this together. As competitive as athletes can be, we aren’t competitive with each other. We cheer each other on. We want each other to succeed (which in Silicon Valley seems rare and special). My team strives together as one. We believe in practicing authenticity and balance and living your best life both physically and mentally.
I’ve worked for a few companies and the term “work-life balance” is used frequently. In reality (and in practice), individuals worked in the evening sometimes early morning and wore this like a badge of honor. When I joined Strava It took me by surprise that taking time to take a yoga class or weekly run with the company was not only accepted, but encouraged. I have taken the time to run (and workout in general) and it does make me feel better. It helps me show up as a better version of myself. To be honest, I’m not the fastest runner or cyclist, but that’s not the point. The goal is to feel healthier, and in the end a healthier version of myself is always a better team player. I learned that key lesson putting on a uniform at a young age, realizing you can be a part of a team in so many different aspects of life.
