Working environments undergo constant change to adapt to the needs and challenges of the time. Remote and hybrid working are the daily reality for many of us now, but this requires a different approach, mindset, and skillset to managing and leading a team face to face.
Managing or leading remote teams
Explore our six actionable tips for improving your ability to lead remote teams:
1. Roam the range
Successfully managing remote teams means being really clear about what your leadership (and management) role actually is. One simple way to start thinking about this is to understand a leader’s role as getting results through others, and that the method is to take action. At Impact we have always understood leadership as a special and vital form of action. That action might be to take firm control, to coach, to facilitate, or to focus on an outcome. Effective leaders and managers are able to ‘roam the range’ and make effective choices about the nature of the action they need to take, depending on the context. One-speed leaders just can’t cut it anymore.
2. Avoid overcorrecting remote workers
The biggest mistake we see leaders making when managing remote teams is overcorrecting. This is especially true for remote or hybrid teams because they are isolated from the leader. This means that the actions leaders take can be amplified by that remoteness and therefore carry more meaning. At the same time, the mutual isolation that occurs when managing staff remotely also makes it more difficult for the leader to understand what is happening, both with the team and the individual. This is when leaders often fall into the trap of overcorrecting, which manifests itself either in being entirely invisible to the remote team or by suddenly micromanaging everything. In hybrid teams, leaders and managers need to be conscious of not defaulting to spending more time with those team members in the office and find a credible balance.
3. Use technology to effectively manage remote teams
One of the most important ways in which leaders can improve their management of remote teams is to use technology effectively. MIT researchers did two studies[i] which show that leaders who are comfortable using technology are rated consistently higher by direct reports than those that don’t. They also show that the majority of leaders don’t feel comfortable using technology tools. Given that one of the most important things that any team needs to do in this age of disruption is to learn together, the failure of the leader to learn how to use these tools sets a poor benchmark.
4. Learn new skills
The new skillsets required by managers and leaders of remote teams involve connecting people, work and technology together in a disciplined and expert way. We meet many leaders who simply aren’t skilled in the use of technology; they need to up their game fast if they are to stay ahead of the disruption curve.
5. Adopt a more flexible mindset for remote workers
New mindsets are required to frame how work is managed remotely, including an ability to roam the range between the various interventions that are available, and to be smart about understanding the communications impact that remote leaders can have on their teams.
6. Create a sense of community
Another tip for how to manage remote workers is to foster a sense of community. Arrange virtual events, social activities or team development opportunities to help employees feel part of the group. The ability to build effective relationships and have quality conversations – even when it's difficult – are two hallmarks of a high-performing team. But they require effort and intention in bringing people together to connect and engage with one another.
Get in touch to explore our approach to team development
[i] Gerald C. Kane, Doug Palmer, Anh Nguyen Phillips, David Kiron, and Natasha Buckley, “Strategy, Not Technology Drives Digital Transformation”, MIT Sloan Management Review (July 14, 2015); Nina Kruschwitz, Didier Bonnet, and Michael Welch, “Embracing Digital Technology: A New Strategic Imperative,” MIT Sloan Management Review (October 7, 2013).