Tag Archive for: small business

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Simplify Your IT Strategy

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UPDATED: January 2, 2026. Added related resources (see below).

As a small to medium-sized business (SMB) leader, you already know how tough IT decisions can be. From software to infrastructure, every choice affects your efficiency, budget, and long-term growth. One of the biggest challenges is decision-making paralysis. With so much information coming at you, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure about which details actually matter. The key is learning how to manage that information effectively.

Managing Information Overload

Access to information can be both a benefit and a burden. Thanks to search engines and AI-powered tools, you can gather data faster than ever. But too much information can feel like noise if you don’t know where to start.

Connect with a Cloud AdvisorTo cut through the clutter, start by identifying your core business goals and IT priorities. This will help you filter out irrelevant information and zero in on what truly supports your objectives. Additionally, you should lean on trusted sources and expert insights, as they provide accurate, reliable information that helps you make decisions based on facts rather than assumptions.

When you create a structured approach to research, you turn information overload into informed decision-making.

Evaluating Your Options

After narrowing your focus, the next step is choosing the right solution. With so many options available, it’s easy to second-guess your choices. A structured evaluation process helps you stay objective and confident.

  1. Define your key requirements and goals: Identify what your business truly needs from an IT solution. Use these requirements as benchmarks to quickly rule out any options that don’t fit.
  2. Research your top contenders: Take a closer look at the solutions that meet your criteria. Watch product demos, read case studies, and, if possible, talk to current users to understand real-world experiences.
  3. Evaluate long-term performance: Ask how each option will scale with your business, how reliable the vendor’s support is, and how easily it integrates with your current systems.

Following these steps will help you minimize risk and choose solutions that support lasting growth.

Putting a Process in Place

Once you’ve evaluated your options, you should put a clear process in place to ensure that your decisions align with your business goals.

  1. Form a team of key stakeholders to gain diverse perspectives and ensure all relevant viewpoints are considered.
  2. Set a timeline with milestones to keep the decision-making process on track and maintain momentum.
  3. Use decision-making frameworks such as SWOT analysis or a Decision Matrix to compare options objectively.
  4. Document your reasoning throughout the process to maintain transparency and create a reference that supports future decisions.

In Summary

IT decision-making doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. The right approach not only helps you choose the best solutions but also saves time, reduces stress, and positions your business for growth. Start small, stay focused, and turn decision-making from a hurdle into a strength for your SMB.

How We Help

We provide the structure, communication, and support your team needs to succeed. From defining roles and prioritizing tasks to managing follow-ups and challenges, our professional services help keep your IT systems in sync with your business priorities so projects move forward efficiently.

Our Cloud Advisors help you put your IT plans into action. We assess your current technology, identify productivity and security gaps, remove redundant services, identify opportunities, train your team, and help you manage IT projects and your overall IT ecosystem.

eBook - Smart IT Budgeting Pays OffIT Budget Workbook Template

Related Resources

Take the next step with our recent “Smart IT Budgeting Pays Off” eBook for a deeper dive into the process for building an effective IT Budget.

You can also download our IT Budget Workbook Template to help you get started.

No matter your starting point, book time with us to create your IT plan for 2026 and take control of your technology and spending.

About the Author

Allen Falcon is the co-founder and CEO of Cumulus Global.  Allen co-founded Cumulus Global in 2006 to offer small businesses enterprise-grade email security and compliance using emerging cloud solutions. He has led the company’s growth into a managed cloud service provider with over 1,000 customers throughout North America.

Boost Your Tech Project Team Performance

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Your technology projects succeed when your project team performs well as a team and individually. When team members communicate clearly, stay accountable, and focus on what matters, your projects run smoother and achieve better results.

Here’s how to make team participation work.

Define Your Project Team

Remember that your project team is more than your IT staff and vendors.  You project team should include stakeholders – executive sponsors, subject matter experts, and key users/user groups. Your extended project team helps you define success metrics, prioritize requirements, manage and communicate change, and provides testing and feedback.

With a well-defined team, you can manage your project to the metrics that matter. You also have more control of project scope and direction.

Set Clear Roles and Commitments for Team Members

Teamwork starts with clarity. Define roles, responsibilities, expectations, and deadlines from the start. Verify that everyone knows their responsibilities, and accountability and motivation will naturally follow. (This 3T@3 Series recording discussing managing project input and feedback)

Clear commitments reduce confusion and align your team.

Prioritize Tasks

After setting commitments, establish priorities. Technology projects have many moving parts. To manage these effectively, teams should collaborate to identify and rank priorities based on urgency, impact, and dependencies.

By focusing on high-priority work, you ensure that your team completes critical tasks first and that you allocate resources efficiently. Clear priorities also help your team maintain a steady workflow and remain aligned.

Follow Up Consistently

Even the most organized teams need structured follow-ups to maintain momentum. Regular, structured check-ins help you and your team track progress, address roadblocks early, and reinforce accountability. Use follow-up and status meetings to catch missed deadlines and project issues before they get out of hand. You gain flexibility to adjust timelines and resources slightly without compromising the overall project schedule.

Consistent follow-ups help you address issues early, keep your team on track, and reinforce a shared sense of responsibility and accountability.

Handle Disruptions Constructively

Working in a team isn’t always easy. Sometimes team members may be disruptive, overlook mistakes, or push back against collaboration. The key is to address these issues early and respectfully. Take the time to listen, acknowledge what’s going on, and respond promptly. Be transparent when addressing concerns and remember that it’s perfectly fine for your answer to be “no.” When you explain the reasons behind your decisions or changes in direction, it helps everyone stay on the same page. Even if not everyone agrees, they will understand where you’re coming from.

By constructively managing conflicts, you and your team maintain a positive environment that encourages productive contributions from everyone.

How We Help

We provide the structure, communication, and support your team needs to succeed. From defining roles and prioritizing tasks to managing follow-ups and challenges, our professional services help keep your IT systems in sync with your business priorities so projects move forward efficiently.

About the Author

Allen Falcon is the co-founder and CEO of Cumulus Global.  Allen co-founded Cumulus Global in 2006 to offer small businesses enterprise-grade email security and compliance using emerging cloud solutions. He has led the company’s growth into a managed cloud service provider with over 1,000 customers throughout North America.

A 5-Step Strategy for Responsible AI

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5-Step Strategy for Responsible AI

AI is changing how our businesses operate and compete. As we rely more on AI, having strong governance is essential to ensure our AI tools are used securely, ethically, and responsibly. Our use of AI should align with your company’s values and regulatory standards.

By setting clear policies and accountability, you can reduce risks like data breaches, ethical issues, and noncompliance. Strong governance also prevents unauthorized AI use, making sure that every AI activity supports your business goals.

1 Create Comprehensive AI Use Policies

Unauthorized AI use, or Shadow AI, creates serious risks for your business. To manage Shadow AI and other risks, you need visibility, control, and guidance for your team. A well-crafted AI Usage Policy reduces the chance of mistakes or misuse and helps you responsibly manage AI usage.

Your AI usage policies should:

  • Define allowed and unallowed use of AI as a tool/resource
  • Outline principles for ethical and appropriate use
  • Specify security guidelines to ensure data protection and compliance with regulations, industry standards, and contractual obligations

Your policies should also clearly state:

  • How your team should handle your company data
  • How your team should handle and protect third party data
  • Which AI tools are approved
  • When and how team members may use external AI resources

2 Implement and Monitor Controls

Implementing access controls and monitoring systems helps you identify when AI tools are being used outside approved channels.

Create processes for:

  • Your team to request access to AI tools and services
  • Evaluating requested tools for applicable use cases, usability, security, and cost
  • Deploying new AI tools and services, including education and training

Periodically audit your environment to spot unauthorized applications before they create problems. 

Work with your team to move to authorized AI tools that provide the same capabilities or review and select a solution you can secure and support.

3 Ensure Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Compliance is a key aspect of responsible AI use. Your AI practices need to follow data privacy laws, industry regulations, and contractual obligations. 

Begin by identifying and reviewing relevant laws, industry standards, and contractual obligations related to data privacy. Identify any specific conditions or requirements related to the use of AI services.

You want to be able to demonstrate and document your compliance. Review the security compliance certifications and practices of your AI services and tools. Collect the necessary information, including how your AI tools collect, store, and use data. 

Regular audits will help catch potential issues, particularly with Shadow AI. 

Stay current with evolving legislation to ensure that your AI practices remain compliant over time.

4 Prioritize Ethical AI Practices

Ethical AI builds trust and protects your reputation. When you prioritize ethics, you show that your business values integrity and fairness, strengthening relationships with clients and stakeholders.

  • Regularly review your AI models and the data they use to remove bias and ensure transparency in decision-making. In addition to bias detection and mitigation, AI training should include diverse data sources and that results are not skewed by inherent biases.
  • Make sure your AI is fair, explainable, and accountable, so your team and clients can trust its outcomes. AI tools should articulate results and decisions in human-understandable terms. People need to be able to understand the rationale behind the AI results.
  • Ensure you have human judgement and intervention at every stage of your AI journey. Clear lines of responsibility provide accountability. Human review prevents over-use of AI, particularly in decision-making. Encourage feedback from employees, clients, and other stakeholders.

5 Train and Support Your Team

Your AI strategy will only succeed if your team knows how to use AI safely and effectively. When your team is confident in using AI, you maximize its benefits while minimizing risks.

Provide training and support that covers technical skills, applicability to relevant use cases, and ethical considerations. 

Support strategies include:

  • Offering training sessions and user guides.
  • Providing a dedicated support team for questions.
  • Offering ongoing learning opportunities as AI evolves.

How We Help

Using AI securely and ethically requires careful planning and ongoing effort. Our Cloud Advisors can help you identify use cases, select tools and services, endure data security and government, and help your team get the most from your AI investments.

About the Author

Bill Seybolt bio pictureBill is a Senior Cloud Advisor responsible for helping small and midsize organizations with cloud forward solutions that meet their business needs, priorities, and budgets. Bill works with executives, leaders, and team members to understand workflows, identify strategic goals and tactical requirements, and design solutions and implementation phases. Having helped over 200 organizations successfully adopt cloud solutions, his expertise and working style ensure a comfortable experience effective change management.

Don’t Fall for the Call

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Don't Fall for the Call

IT support scams are back and on the rise. Over the past few weeks, the reports of vendor phone calls and emails claiming to contact people about suspicious activity in their accounts have skyrocketed.  

Do Not Fall for the Scam

Google, and Microsoft, will NEVER call your or email you to start a service or support call.  Let me repeat that, but this time in bold. Google, and Microsoft, will NEVER call your or email you to start a service or support call.

Some of these calls and emails attempt to get you to enter your username and password into a fake web page. 

Many of these attacks request the multi-factor authentication (MFA) code. The attackers initiate a password reset. If given the MFA code, they access the account and can change credentials, access other services, and exfiltrate information.

It is more difficult to spot fake landing and sign in pages

While historically easy to spot, attackers use generative AI to create sophisticated fake login pages. 

Attackers are also using legitimate landing page, marketing, or document tools. The link in the email may open a validly hosted page or document with instructions and another link that, in turn, takes you to the fake login page. 

As the hackers take you through a legitimate service, as a pass-through, you may be less likely to notice that the page asking for your credentials is fake. This method is also more difficult to combat since the pass-through may require valid credentials for access.

Steps You Can Take

You can take a few simple steps to prevent these types of attacks from successfully damaging your business.

  • Education – Inform and educate your team about current and emerging cyber attack methods, what to look for, and how to handle suspicious activity.  Cyber Awareness Training, if well managed, is an affordable means to keep security top of mind.
  • Advanced Email Threat Protection – Email threat protection focused on sender domains, links, and attachments is not enough. Attackers use masking, images, and QR codes beyond the capabilities of many email protection services. Upgrading to a more robust service will provide better protections. Solutions that provide banners and “one-click response” better empower users to flag and manage suspect messages.

We Will Help

Our Cloud Advisors are here to assist. We will:

  • Assess your current security profile and protections
  • Prioritize options and recommendations for security improvements
  • Help you plan and budget for any changes
  • Deploy and co-manage your security solutions to keep you protected.

Schedule time with one of our Cloud Advisors now to begin your security review and improvements.

About the Author

Bill Seybolt bio pictureBill is a Senior Cloud Advisor responsible for helping small and midsize organizations with cloud forward solutions that meet their business needs, priorities, and budgets. Bill works with executives, leaders, and team members to understand workflows, identify strategic goals and tactical requirements, and design solutions and implementation phases. Having helped over 200 organizations successfully adopt cloud solutions, his expertise and working style ensure a comfortable experience effective change management.

Leadership Thoughts: Noteworthy Blog Posts – May ’25

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As small business owners and leaders, you carry the responsibility for the direction and success of your business.  And while Cumulus Global provides managed cloud services and Cloud Forward IT service and support that help you thrive and grow, we understand your responsibilities are broader than just IT.  Here is a curated list of blog posts from trusted experts and thought leaders that we hope will inform and inspire.

Vision

Business and IT Strategy 

  • Save or Spend? IT Decisions for Turbulent Times
    • Radical changes in government policies, along with unpredictable tariffs and trade policies, create a level of economic uncertainty that impacts our business decisions. Across all aspects of our businesses, including IT services, is it time to save or spend?
    • Allen Falcon, Cumulus Global Blog

Leadership

  • Engaging Generation Z in the Workplace
    • Generation Z (Gen Z) accounts for a growing percentage of the global workforce. However, many individuals in this demographic feel disengaged or disempowered in the workplace. This article explains how engaging Gen Z is important for organizations, outlines challenges employers face in these efforts and provides tips on engaging this demographic in the workplace.
    • Chrystine Heier, Sullivan Benefits

Legal

  • Sue the Bastard! … I Think
    • When it comes to reviews, businesses have a strong incentive push for 5 stars. For instance, an increase of one star on a Yelp review can lead to a 5-9% increase in business revenue, according to a Harvard Business School study. But what if the review is not a true reflection of the company? 
    • Daniel Batterman, Esq. at Lipresti Law

Human Resources

Marketing

  • Marketing Through Challenging Times
    • In today’s rapidly changing world, marketing strategies that resonate on a deeper, more authentic level are crucial. As a business owner or marketer, adjusting your narrative to align with current events, while maintaining authenticity, can significantly impact both your audience engagement and your own mental well-being.
    • Kristi Mitchell, Marketing Uncomplicated

Social Media

  • Should I Be Using Threads for My Business?
    • Given the immense popularity and potential of this microblog-style social media app, you might be wondering if Threads is worth exploring for promoting your organization. So today, I wanted to take a minute to outline some key highlights about the platform and offer my thoughts on how you can evaluate its suitability for your needs.
    • Nicole Porter, Monomoy Social Media

Productivity

  • Gen AI Prompt Engineering
    • You don’t need to be a data scientist or a machine learning engineer – everyone can write effective gen AI prompts. This 60+ Google whitepaper goes beyond “prompting 101” and dives deep into advanced prompt engineering with Gemini AI and for large language models (LMMs) in general.
    • Cumulus Global Library, May 2025
  • Slash Email Time by 50%: Must-Have AI Tools
    • Those constant incoming messages can weigh us down and make it tough to stay productive. When your inbox is overflowing, it’s hard to know where to start or what to prioritize. Plus, the urge to respond right away can pull our focus away from those bigger, long-term projects that really matter. But this can all change! With the right email management tools powered by AI, your inbox is transformed from a daily hassle to a simple task you can easily handle.
    • Mike Grossman, Mike Grossman Consulting, LLC

Wellness

  • Boosting Your Mental Health Daily
    • Mental Health Awareness Month is observed every May to help break the stigma and support people living with mental health conditions. Mental health is always there; your state continually changes depending on resources and challenges. Focusing on maintaining or  improving your mental health is important, so here are five ways to boost your mental health on a daily basis.
    • Chrystine Heier, Sullivan Benefits

Cybersecurity

  • Why Not Prevent AI Data Breaches?
    • To state the obvious, AI data breaches and leaks will damage your business. Even sharing sensitive or protected information internally will cause problems. Less obvious is the fact that you have already shared information that should not be shared. You should expect that private, sensitive, and protected information in Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 is already accessible to your AI tools. Now is the time to prevent AI data breaches.
    • Cumulus Global Blog, May 2025

Help us keep the ideas flowing. As a thought leader, if you have any blog posts that you want to share, please let us know.

Leadership Thoughts: Noteworthy Blog Posts – Jan ’25

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As small business owners and leaders, you carry the responsibility for the direction and success of your business.  And while Cumulus Global provides managed cloud services that help you thrive and grow, we understand your responsibilities are broader than just IT.  Here is a curated list of blog posts from trusted experts and thought leaders that we hope will inform and inspire.

Human Factors

Legal and Compliance

  • 2025 Employment Law Outlook
    • Explores critical employment law trends and topics to deliver important insights and forecast trends and challenges employers will likely encounter in 2025. It offers employers a forward-looking perspective to enhance their preparedness and ensure sustained success in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
    • Chrystine Heier, Sullivan Benefits

Management

Marketing

Productivity

  • Gen AI Prompts: A Primer
    • Like most IT solutions, the value of AI depends on when, why, and how you decide to use it. Better Gen AI prompts give you better results. This eBook provides a model, structure, and approach to building effective Gen AI prompts that save time and effort. 
    • Cumulus Global eBook, May 2024

Strategy and Leadership

  • Building a Foundation for AI Success: A Leader’s Guide
    • For AI success, you need a solid foundation. In this paper, Microsoft shares insights — from customers, partners, analysts, AI leaders inside and outside of the company, and from Microsoft’s own experience — about the five categories that, collectively, form a foundation for building sustainable value and AI success.
    • Microsoft Whitepaper

Wellness

  • 7 Tips for a Successful Workplace Wellness Program
    • In today’s fast-paced world of hybrid work, finding a balance between work and wellness is more important than ever. Prioritizing wellness at work is not only essential for individual health and happiness but fosters a positive and productive work environment with less absenteeism and lower healthcare costs. This post invites you to introduce Lifestyle Medicine’s seven innovative Pillars of Wellness to your work community today.
    • Michelle Grasso, Synergy Wellness Center

Technology and Security

Help us keep the ideas flowing. If you have any blog posts that are leadership thoughts you want to share, please let us know.h

Leadership Thoughts: Noteworthy Blog Posts – Aug ’24

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As small business owners and leaders, you carry the responsibility for the direction and success of your business.  And while Cumulus Global provides managed cloud services that help you thrive and grow, we understand your responsibilities are broader than just IT. As a way to share some leadership thoughts, here is a curated list of blog posts from trusted experts that we hope will inform and inspire.

Human Factors

Legal and Compliance

Management

Marketing

  • AI Tools to Improve Lead Generation
    • Does your lead generation information flow through your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system? Does your CRM provide insights, automation, and improved lead management? I’ll share how you can use AI to dynamically personalize content on your website or in your emails based on the visitor’s behavior and preferences.
    • Mike Grossman, Mike Grossman Consulting, LLC
  • Should I Be Using Threads for My Business?
    • Given the immense popularity and potential of this microblog-style social media app, you might be wondering if Threads is worth exploring for promoting your organization. I wanted to take a minute to outline some key highlights about the platform and offer my thoughts on how you can evaluate its suitability for your needs.
    • Nicole Porter, Monomoy Social Media

Productivity

Strategy and Leadership

Wellness

Technology and Security

  • Cyber Security Requirements for Cyber Insurance
    • Meeting basic cyber security requirements helps insure your cyber insurance coverage is appropriate and affordable. In this eBook, we outline the cyber security components you should have in place before getting your cyber insurance policy.
    • Cumulus Global eBook, August 2022
  • Improve Your Email Deliverability and Security in Five Steps
    • Email services are stepping up protections. Here are 5 best practices that help ensure your emails get delivered and that you are protected from identity and business email compromise cyber attacks.
    • Cumulus Global eBook, April 2024

Help us keep the ideas flowing. If you have any blog posts that are leadership thoughts you want to share, please let us know.

Leadership Thoughts: Noteworthy Blog Posts – Jun ’24

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As small business owners and leaders, you carry the responsibility for the direction and success of your business.  And while Cumulus Global provide managed cloud services that help you thrive and grow, we understand your responsibilities are broader than just IT. As a way to share some leadership thoughts, here is a curated list of blog posts from trusted experts that we hope will inform and inspire.

Human Factors

Legal and Compliance

Management

Marketing

Productivity

Strategy and Leadership

Wellness

  • 7 Tips for a Successful Workplace Wellness Program
    • In today’s fast-paced world of hybrid work, finding a balance between work and wellness is more important than ever. Prioritizing wellness at work is not only essential for individual health and happiness but fosters a positive and productive work environment with less absenteeism and lower healthcare costs.
    • Michell Grasso, Synergy Wellness Center

Our IT Ideas That Still Hold True

A few of our past IT leadership thoughts that remain true and relevant today.

  • Cyber Security Will Change Companies
    • IT change management is a structured process for evaluating proposed IT system or service changes. This procedure is carried out prior to implementing the requested change on an organization’s network, reducing or eliminating network outages.
    • Cumulus Global Blog, June 2022
  • What is a MCSP?
    • The need to monitor and maintain equipment and infrastructure drops off while your need to monitor and manage services, apps, and data increases.
    • Cumulus Global Blog, November 2017

Help us keep the ideas flowing. If you have any blog posts that are leadership thoughts you want to share, please let us know.

Ensuring Hybrid Work Actually Works

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Hybrid Workplace

For most of us and our businesses, hybrid work from home jobs are here to stay.  In reality, it has almost always been with us.  Salespersons, field technicians, and other out-of-office customer-facing roles have been a part of many businesses for decades.  The mix, however, of who works outside the office has changed.  And while many businesses are still working to figure out how many in-office work days are necessary each week, the underlying assumption is that hybrid work models will remain.

The challenge now is to ensure your model for hybrid work actually works for your business. When remote work was the exception, the solutions could be one-offs, or more complicated, because the impact on users was limited.  The extra effort to connect to the office was acceptable.  Remote work is now part of the norm, whether in a hybrid model or full-time. Connecting is now critical — technically and in terms of communication, collaboration, and culture.

Here are 5 Ways to Help Ensure Hybrid Work Actually Works

 

1 Simplify Access and Accessibility

Ensure your team can connect and work easily.  Each added layer, such as VPNs, adds a layer of complexity and creates another opportunity for something to go wrong. Complexity also impedes performance.

Moving services — applications, files, data — into a central cloud service reduces the need for complex connections from remote users to in-house networks and servers.  Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, for example, can easily replace traditional file servers.  Using a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) service with remote desktops simplifies access and accessibility to servers and line-of-business applications that do not yet run in the cloud.

2 Create a Single User Experience

If the user experience is different in-office and remotely, team members on a hybrid schedule must effectively navigate two different systems to connect and work. The result is often confusion. File locations and access to printers and scanners become confusing. Configuring oneDrive or Google Drive desktop applications is challenging if you want them to work on and off your office network.

Creating a single user experience reduces the confusion and eliminates potential roadblocks to productivity.

One of the easiest ways to create a single user experience is to use (VDI) and remote desktops.  Rather than having users work “locally” in the office and “remotely” elsewhere, the VDI environment provides remote desktops usable to everybody regardless of location.  All users connect to the service and work within a secure network.

As an added benefit, VDI narrows the scope of your security envelope. VDI reduces the need to manage end user devices, particularly if you allow Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD).

3 Enable Collaboration

The flow of information is different when we work remotely versus together. And while many are more productive working remotely, effective collaboration takes effort.

On average small businesses use only 10% to 15% of the features and capabilities of Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. There is a high cost to low adoption.

To foster collaboration, your team must be comfortable using the tools that enable the sharing, communications, and relationships. On-going education of capabilities helps team members learn and use collaboration features. Reviewing and updating workflows and processes can improve collaboration within day-to-day activities.

4 Manage Your Managers

Managing people and leading teams is a skill. Many “doers” struggle when they become managers, given the complexities of coaching, mentoring, managing expectations, and dispute resolution across diverse groups of individuals. Managing teams with remote members is even more challenging. Team dynamics will differ, perception biases related to visibility will exist, and managing will need to be against results and expectations rather than visible activity.

Team leaders and managers need education, training, guidance, and mentoring to succeed.  And this need is greater with hybrid and remote teams. Peruse the Ask a Manager blog archives if you want real life examples of unskilled, and outright bad, managers who can damage your business.

Spend some time, and yes, money, to develop management and leadership skills for those responsible for supervising others.  Include guidance and support for issues unique to remote staff and hybrid and remote teams.

5 Include People Intentionally

Remote work does allow team members to focus on their tasks and manage their time. Meetings still happen and team members can use their commute time for other things.

In-person work still has benefits. Unstructured interactions build relationships and connections that enable ideas and innovations to take hold. Granted, “water cooler” chats can be gossipy or give naysayers a channel.  These conversations also enable many to float and test ideas outside of formal meetings. There is a perceived formality when you ask somebody to meet via video, even if it is to just bounce and discuss ideas. The acts of requesting, scheduling, and joining create a structure that differs from catching somebody at their desk, in the hall, or walking back from lunch.

The solution is to create opportunities for casual communications and to set the expectation that they should occur. To do so, your team members need opportunities to interact not only on work, but work-tangential topics, as a means to build relationships and trust.

For your remote/hybrid workers, inclusion is key.

  • As you prepare for meetings, let remote participants know in advance that you will be seeking their input on various topics. Set the expectation for participation without an element of surprise.
  • Create the habit of asking, “Who else should we ask?” when having unstructured discussions. Include them in real-time via chat or video, or message them for ideas or a time to chat.
  • Actively include remote workers in company events.  Team pizza lunch on Thursday?  Move it to a conference room, invite remote team members, and send remote participants lunch (or a credit to order their favorite).
  • Plan company events so remote team members can participate. Activities, like providing the ingredients and preparing a fancy meal guided by a chef, allow people to share a common experience in a group setting, even though participants are not physically together.

Next Step: Cumulus Global Can Help Your Business Succeed in a Hybrid Work Environment

Making sure that hybrid work actually works for your business requires intent, planning and action. Even small initiatives and steps to support remote staff and teams, and to foster communication, trust, and collaboration, can have a big impact on your business.

Cumulus Global can help you with plan and deploy technologies and servers that enable and support effective remote workers and teams.  With best-in-class remote desktop/VDI services, expert support for both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, and affordable Managed Cloud Services, we will help your business thrive and grow.

Click here to schedule a call with a Cloud Advisor or send us an email. There is no cost and no obligation.

About the Author

Bill Seybolt bio pictureBill is a Senior Cloud Advisor responsible for helping small and midsize organizations with cloud forward solutions that meet their business needs, priorities, and budgets. Bill works with executives, leaders, and team members to understand workflows, identify strategic goals and tactical requirements, and design solutions and implementation phases. Having helped over 200 organizations successfully adopt cloud solutions, his expertise and working style ensure a comfortable experience effective change management. 

 

Leadership Thoughts: Noteworthy Blog Posts – Jan ’24

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As small business owners and leaders, you carry the responsibility for the direction and success of your business.  And while Cumulus Global provide managed cloud services that help you thrive and grow, we understand your responsibilities are broader than just IT. As a way to share some leadership thoughts, here is a curated list of blog posts from trusted experts that we hope will inform and inspire.

Marketing

Sales

Human Resources

  • The Business Implications of the DOL’s New Independent Contractor Rule
    • Sullivan Benefits

Strategy and Leadership

  • 5 “Must-Have” Elements of a Strategic Plan
    • Electra Govoni, The Alternative Board (TAB) Boston North West

IT Ideas That Still Hold True

A few of our past blog posts that remain true and relevant today.

Help us keep the ideas flowing. If you have any blog posts that are leadership thoughts you want to share, please let us know.

Webcasts

IT Safety for Sole Practitioners, Startups, and Smaller Businesses

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(11/19/24) – Your computer, and your IT services, are your business lifeline. Manage, protect, and secure them to protect your business. Here are affordable solutions to protect you and your business.

Read more

Google Gemini Quick Start

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(10/15/24) – The value of Google Gemini depends on how well you are able to use it. This Gemini Quick Start gives you an overview of your options, shares more than 11 ways you can use Gemini, and covers Gemini’s limitations.

Read more

Cybersecurity: Enough is Enough

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(9/24/24) – Beyond industry and regulatory requirements, your cybersecurity should match your business’s risks, needs, and budget .. and nothing more. This event focuses on affordably scaling your cybersecurity.

Read more

Security CPR (Cloud Burst Ep. 01.03)

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Sept. 16, 2024

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Check Your IT Blind Spots

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(7/23/24) – Blind Spots evolve when we fail to reassess decisions as technology, business, and other factors change over time. Checking your IT Blind Spots will identify opportunities for savings, security, and improvements.

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Small Business Compliance Primer

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(6/18/24) – For many of us, ensuring we have the right security and compliance program in place remains a challenge. A basic understanding of security and compliance will inform and guide your security priorities, plans, investment, and results.

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Gen AI Prompts and Privacy

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(05/21/24) – Gen AI tools can boost your productivity or waste your time. The better your Gen AI prompts, the more effective and efficient Gen AI will be for you. The session provides and demonstrates a model for effective prompt-building.

Read more

library

Email Security: Good, Better, Best

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eBook | Source: Cumulus Global —
Cyber attacks by email have skyrocketed over the last decade. Email and domain impersonation attacks, fueled by successful phishing attacks, bypass account-centric security. This eBook discusses how to protect your business and domain from Business Email Compromises and impersonation attacks.

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IT Services for Solopreneurs and VSBs

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eBook | Source: Cumulus Global —
IT Services pose unique challenges for Solo entrepreneurs, aka “solopreneurs”, and very small businesses (VSBs). More than having IT services that are “good enough”, solopreneurs and VSBs need technology to save them time, effort, and money.

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The Transition to Google Workspace

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Slide Deck | Source: Cumulus Global —
For many businesses, the transition comes with a significant increase in subscription fees. This deck, with notes, from our Coffee & Clouds Series webcast covers …

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State of Security for Small and Midsize Businesses

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eBook | Source: Microsoft —
This eBook identifies key findings in studies and surveys covering security for small and midsize businesses, and provides set of recommendations to ensure …

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Protect Your Business – Top 3 Security Threats

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eBook | Source: Microsoft —
This eBook explores how you can safeguard your business against the top three security threats, plus the one threat your business is probably overlooking.

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Crash Course in Office 365

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eBook | Source: Microsoft —
You already know the productivity power of Office applications like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Full adoption empowers you to access your …

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Global Year in Breach – 2021

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eBook | Source: ID Agent —
2020 saw a cybercrime boom that included record-breaking phishing and ransomware threats. This report provides insights into the rapidly changing cybersecurity landscape; forecasts cybersecurity trends for 2021; and provides helpful advice about smart risk mitigations that fit every business and every budget.

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Google Workspace Security

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eBook | Source: Google —
Google started in the cloud and runs on the cloud, so it’s no surprise that we fully understand the security implications of powering your business in the cloud.

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Make it Work: The Future of Collaboration and Productivity

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eBook | Source: Google —
The future of work is here – it’s just not evenly distributed. This report identifies three changes businesses  can make to work in the future

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Unblocking Workplace Collaboration

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eBook | Source: Microsoft —
Poor workplace collaboration is 1 of 5 top reasons people quit their jobs. Break down collaboration blockers so that teams …

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