When leading teams remotely, it's important that your teammates or employees feel empowered and can make decisions.
Remote working is going to be the new normal soon. 16% of US companies are fully remote, which will grow year over year.
Despite its rapid growth, many team leaders face technology, time zone, and communication differences that stand between them and their team.
But it doesn't mean that leadership is impossible. On the contrary, if you have the right tools, processes, and mindset, you can make remote teams awesome.
We've got some tips for you on how to lead remote teams effectively in 5 ways:
So let's get right on to it.
It's an understatement to say communications is the soul of a team.
With effective and efficient communications, everyone is motivated, productivity soars, and strong relationships are formed. In fact, 85% of employees feel the most motivated when leadership regularly updates company news. Even better, 80% of American employees believe communication is key to developing trust.
Even if you're leading remotely, you too can communicate effectively with your remote teams by following the 3 strategies below:
Some of the popular remote team communications tools are Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, ClickUp, Google Suite, and many more.
Clear communication will allow for a quick understanding of what needs to be done so that both parties can work together as efficiently as possible!
When leading teams remotely, it's important that your teammates feel empowered and can make decisions. This can instill greater trust in leadership, boost their motivation–leading to greater creativity, increase their willingness to put in extra effort in the job by 67%, and improve employee retention.
There needs to be a clear understanding of what is expected from them regarding their workload. Share a visual workflow so everyone can see where tasks are at all times.
Another action you can take to empower your team members is by providing mentorship. Spend 30 minutes to an hour a week to coach and mentor a team member to ensure they have the tools and strategies to work smarter and better.
Leading remote teams can be difficult because you don't have the same visibility as other managers working in a physical location.
One way to overcome this is to lead by example, so others see what you want them to emulate.
First, strive for personal development—never stop trying new things. Learn a new skill, language or how to be a better remote worker, read a book, listen to podcasts, watch educational YouTube videos, meditate, and many more.
Another critical strategy is role modeling the culture you want to have, which will set up expectations for your team members. If you want your teammates to be friendly yet professional during meetings, show them how it looks like by being one. Showing how to behave is the most critical factor influencing accountability, says 84% of employees.
Leading remotely does not mean guiding from afar; instead, it means sharing knowledge, guidance, and being accessible when needed.
Remember, when it comes to leading remote teams effectively, guide rather than dictate. Allow your teammates' input into the projects where they can shine in their own ways.
Finally, always remember to share a smile :)
How do you help your team focus when you can't even see them?
Well, first of all, a great way to ensure your team members are on top of their game is by establishing a community of accountability.
This means that you and your remote employees are mutually accountable for one another's work. You can do this by having regular calls with them, or as often as they need it.
In this way, if someone finds themselves overwhelmed with their workload or feels like they're struggling to get anything done, it's not just them who has to feel the pressure—there's a whole group who is watching out for each other!
Tip: Are you finding it difficult to focus while working remotely? Learn these 5 unconventional tips to improve focus and concentration.
Next up: Help your employees manage time and manage their workload—especially when they're having a bad day. After all, feeling like they have more control makes people happy too.
And finally: Show what's expected from employees (sharing a weekly timeline) and listen to them when they share feedback about how you can help make things easier on them. Not only that, you can give supportive feedback or adjustments where needed—this will increase overall team productivity and build trust within your team.
Before we get to the details, what do we mean by 'team culture'?
It means your team's prevailing attitudes, beliefs, customs, and practices. It can also mean shared values and principles which shape their attitudes and behaviors.
One way to know a remote team's culture is by finding out what motivates them.
For example, if someone's primary motivation is money, they are likely to be motivated by money and things that can make them more successful in their work. If someone strives for recognition or success through their work, this person will want credit and one-on-one time with managers and colleagues.
One great way to determine what motivates them is through surveys where employees can answer questions about themselves anonymously.
Another option is to find out their goals and see if they're being met. This will give you an overview of how they feel about their work environment. For example, if they are meeting all their goals but not feeling motivated, it's time for some change in the company.
These details may not only give you an idea about how your remote employees would respond on surveys but also let them know you care enough to take the time to get to know them personally, which helps foster trust and commitment from
Read this: On top of helping your team thrive, you also need to be at the peak of your game. Learn how these 5 work-from-home best practices can set you up for success.
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