How long COVID-19 will keep many of us in a virtual work environment is unknown, but what’s more interesting to consider is what work life will be like on the other side after months of collaborating over the internet. Will this period convince more organizations and teams that virtual work is not only possible, but sustainable?

In service of inspiration, we wanted to share some of the things we think about when designing human-centered online learning experiences. At IDEO U, teaching online has always been our reality—we’ve never coexisted in a physical space with our global community. We hope that some of the things we’ve learned along the way can help you teach whatever it is you need to teach in a virtual setting, and find creative joy in a new set of constraints.

If you’re struggling to feel settled at the makeshift workspace you’ve set up in your kitchen, or you’re taking work calls from your closet in an attempt to minimize interruptions from your kids, you’re not alone. The “rapid remote” shift many of us have undergone in the last few weeks due to COVID-19 brings its own set of challenges, far beyond the normal ones remote workers deal with daily.

Now that many of us are operating at a distance, how do we continue to have impact from afar? You can’t rely on organic intersections to exchange ideas and influence. You must create a deliberate and intentional plan. Use these three strategies to overcome Distance Bias by creating your own Personal Virtual Influence Plan.

Workshops sound like a great idea...until everyone gets in a room together and the creative juices dry up faster than the desert in July. Why can it feel so hard to manifest creative ideas when the ingredients all seem to be there? Because the design of a workshop experience is just as important as the people you have in the room. 

As an IDEO Partner and a Managing Director in the Tokyo office, Mike Peng has developed an ability to collaborate with all kinds of teams across many cultures and markets. With a background in neuroscience and wide-ranging personal interests including hip-hop dance, tennis, and the occasional reality TV show, Mike sources inspiration from many places. Leading up to the launch of our Cultivating Creative Collaboration online class, which Mike teaches, we caught up with him to chat about his passion for understanding human motivations, the role of creativity in teamwork, and what’s inspiring him lately.

In this episode of our Creative Confidence Series, New York Times bestselling author Daniel Coyle chats with IDEO Managing Director Coe Leta Stafford about his newest book, The Culture Code, three skills that the most successful teams have in common, and how high performing teams react to tension differently. He shares why these skills are important and tactical ways to implement them today, whether you’re leading a team or want to make a change from wherever you sit.

Keith Yamashita, SYPartners Chairman and Founder and instructor for our newest class From Superpowers to Great Teams, sat down with IDEO U Managing Director Coe Leta Stafford to discuss creative leadership and how great teams are built on a foundation of diversity, collaboration, trust, and self-awareness.

Brendan Boyle, Founder of the IDEO Toy Lab and a contributing instructor in our Unlocking Creativity class, has a knack for helping others insert more creativity and playfulness into their work. He recommends that you start every meeting with a creative workout to elevate the energy in the room. Here’s a simple activity in imagination play that Brendan uses to get the team into a more creative headspace.

Your Superpower is your contribution, the role that you’re put on this Earth to fill. It’s what you do better than anyone else. Tapping into it will not only help your team, but you’ll find your work more satisfying, too.