It works as long as there is the right balance

My friend Rochelle Moulton covered that issue in blogging about integrity branding. So I cull from MY post to her blog a few weeks back:
"Back to Yahoo, I really did not object to getting people back to the office; working alone I miss the interaction and I find amazing ideas come to me in meeting with clients, prospects, networking colleagues and other people interactions; it may not relate at all to the people with whom I interact but I find the interaction helps me realize a concept or more that I put to later and good use. You point out where Mayer messed up; not in realizing the utility of getting the workforce back to the workplace, but in how to realize that goal. The president of a union I advise negotiated child care for his members earlier in his career. It has come up a lot as he now pursues public office; the failure of Mayer and those around her to look at how to make the workplace more inviting, including day care on and/ or off-premises, flexibility to attend child and school function, etc. really exhibits how people very intelligent and skilled in some (many) ways lack some of the same in other areas." As to working from home, my deck, a table poolside or outside the cafe at my pool club, that works for me. I've written columns on the beach, on a bench on a wintry day outside a museum bookshop, in a diner, you name it (and I'd note that in the column.) Technology empowers this kind of activity. Even the early cells. Some know of the softball playoff game in Port Washington that I managed wearing suit and tie often fielding calls from the office and the press. The real answer revolves around creating the right mix - environment - for people to flourish. My longer answer that Fred says perhaps states in fewer words.

I live a good distance from my office and I find telecommuting is a tremendous help. I probably spend four or five days a month at my home office. It's a huge time saving benefit when I have meetings closer to home than the office. I could also see how some people can abuse it. If you are not disciplined it's very easy to stray from your efforts. I agree with Fred on this one that balance is the key.
I also think it's an easy edict for Marissa to issue at Yahoo. I recall the Bloomberg radio hosts who were present at the annual Davos, Switzerland conference describing Marissa arriving in her corporate jet with her children and au pair's in tow. Most people don't have that luxury. I think in her effort to shake up the Yahoo culture she's going to cost herself some talented employees who could be helpful if they are going to accomplish a real turnaround there.

I don't make a habit of telecommuting but I do "remote in" if I am at home! There is much to be said about the synergy of working together with co-workers.

I have a home office that is open 24/7 - that's both good and bad. My main activity is to be "out there" wherever "there" may be: seeing clients, going to networking meetings, etc. The office environment is an open space with lots of noise - everyone on the phone - calling to one other across the office. The Internet and my Blackberry keep me virtually connected and that makes me HAPPY! I ordered new business cards via computer and the proof was e-mailed to me, etc. We are living in a technological world. Times have changed during my lifetime. When I learned to type (not keyboarding) in Junior High, I can still see the teacher standing at the front of the room, smacking her ruler on the desk saying: "there is no such thing as a strike over" and now she is right.

I'm all for it...one caveat...you have to have a measure of accountability and trust.

As you know Nancy, I did it for many years. But, I did make sure that I went into the office at least once a week, whether I needed to or not. I found the one on one time very needed.

I had a discussion about this on facebook with a woman I used to know in college. I didn't challenge her opinion on working from home as much as her opinion that Marissa Mayer was doing something wrong by not prioritizing women's issues over her performance as CEO. I felt that Ms. Mayer striving to perform her best, whatever she believed that to be, was more important for the "advancement of women" than just looking out for the typical "women's causes."