Hello, and welcome to Clear Crossing Academy!

If you’re new to this place, or to this program, there is one important thing to remember above all else.

Things will change, and this is on purpose.

Learning is a dynamic experience, as is teaching. We refuse to believe that our instructors know everything, so program material will change over time. We will do little things, like fix typos. We will do medium sized things, like update examples. Or we might overhaul, add, or remove entire sections.

You, the learner, are the main driver of these changes.

As a part of CCA, you have many tools to help shape and impact the way you learn here. We’ll go over these tools in the introductory lessons in this guide.

You may use these tools as much or as little as you like, provided that no rules are broken by doing so (our rules are pretty chill, don’t worry).

If you’re a veteran of CCA, feel free to skip the lessons in this guide. 

But if you’re new or need a refresher, let’s get started!

1. Getting your time and money’s worth: participation

    
2. Getting started: How the Program & Lessons are organized

    
3. Getting started: Adjusting your Program notifications

    
4. Our quick and simple list of rules

Culture is a thing that happens between groups.

When we’re forced to work remote, the usual dynamics of a group change dramatically.

Looking through the lens of our culture terms, here’s what gets altered.

Norm distortion

Are you sick of the term “new normal” yet?

It sticks around for a reason. A big part of being a social creature is in navigating what is and what isn’t normal. We do this largely in part by observing others or gathering feedback from others when we do things. Most of us are familiar with the despair of being humiliated because we’ve done something socially unacceptable, along with the elation for being cheered on and accepted by our peers for doing the opposite.

In a world gone digital, isolated from many forms of immediate social feedback, it can be harder to establish or interpret ‘digital’ or ‘remote’ norms.

Home culture blend

It is unlikely that the culture climate at home is identical to the one at work.

But when you work from home most of the time, the two will form a new kind of culture, unless you take draconian steps to separate the two. This is impossible for most of us.

Each one of your remote colleagues will also bring a blend of their home culture to work, which will inevitably impact the greater whole of your work experience.

Individual impacts & mental health

On that same note, individually we’ve all weathered the impacts of the pandemic in different ways. Some flourish, some struggle, and some are in between. Your mental and physical health play an important role in how you shape your organization’s culture.

The more colleagues you have, the more of a mixed bag of personal impacts they will bring into the new digital work culture.

Events can have less impact

There is no good substitute for an in person meeting, chat, or party. Digital tools have all sorts of solutions, but the fact remains that humans are specially wired to respond to other humans—in the flesh.

Any kind of cultural weather event, be it a ritual or a one off thing, may carry less weight in defining a culture if it is done remotely. You do not always have everyone’s full attention, presence, or that magical vibe that comes with being there in person.

The upside

This all seems pretty bleak so far. 

But anyone who’s been part of a strong online community can attest that culture persists digitally—even without video conferencing! (Many online communities grew and flourished well before technology made video conferencing cheap and high quality).

In the next lesson, we’ll address some of the surprising advantages of a digitally enabled culture.

Exercise: which change resonates most with you?

Of the described changes, which best describes how work has changed for you? Or, if you’re a veteran of remote work already or do not feel heavily impacted, which do you believe your colleagues might struggle with the most, and how might you help them overcome it?

Program community activity: If your workplace has struggled with or successfully overcome one of these impacts, please share your experience. Or, if there’s an impact we’ve missed or should consider, let us know!

My ability to have a thought in my head and get a version of that into yours is how the human race came to create societies, share resources, discover our world, and eventually rise to dominate life on Earth.

So it’s no small wonder that being a good communicator is associated with success in the modern world.

For this particular program, we’re focused on how remote work has impacted business communication. A big part of the teaching and discussion is on how translate or evolve things that work well in-person to things that work well digitally.

In this introductory section, we will cover:

1. A note about the role of storytelling: a core CCA focus is storytelling so before we begin, I want to explain how it is related to this Program

2. How the virtual world impacts communication: specifics on what has changed

3. Key skills for communication in a virtual environment: where we recommend you focus, and what our detailed sections will tackle

4. Choosing your weapon: Email vs call vs text vs video: thoughts on what media to use, and when

1. Writing skills: writing is one of the most accessible forms of communication. It is the default for when people cannot connect via voice or video. For some industries or jobs, it may be the only option.

2. Video presence: Video is a deep, complex and technical topic. Thankfully, today’s technology makes using video relatively accessible. To be an effective communicator in this fast-rising standard, priority should be on how you present on video, both live and recorded.

3. Platform awareness: Having a sense of how and when to switch your style depending on the crowd, platform or format can take you a long way. An email to a colleague differs from a group chat instant message, for example.

We will explore all three of these skills in the lessons ahead. There will be a heavier focus on writing and writing techniques.

Exercise: which are your strengths and weaknesses?

Of the three skills listed, think about which you are the most confident in, and which you might need some work. Under each skill, list out two or three things you think you’re strong in, and two or three things you’re weak in. Pay attention to which lists are easier to write!

Program community activity: Let us know your top concerns in the comments (along with skills you don’t see listed here). We will use this feedback to continue to expand this Program.