How can you maintain group cohesion while working remotely?

Clear goals and roles are like a compass for a remote team. Setting those guidelines upfront ensures we're all rowing in the same direction. I've found that using tools like SMART and OKR is good for keeping us on track and measurable! Assigning roles through RACI or DACI brings everyone on the same page, making responsibilities crystal clear. It's like handing out playbooks to our team, so everyone knows their position in the game. In the remote world, where high-fives are virtual, this clarity is our secret handshake. It's amazing how a shared understanding of goals and roles builds a sense of togetherness, even if miles apart. Remember, it's not just about work; it's about creating a place where everyone plays a vital part.

Establish clear goals and expectations One of the first steps to creating a cohesive remote team is to define and communicate the goals, roles, and responsibilities of each team member. This helps to avoid confusion, ambiguity, and conflict, and to align the team around a common vision and purpose.

Establish realistic expectations and make sure both employees and managers are aware of this. Often employees complain that they feel they are being micromanaged virtually while the focus should be on results. It is important to be aware that employees may be working under constraints, for instance, managing family commitments etc. which got highlighted even more so during the pandemic. Setting more result-based goals could increase the mutual trust amongst the employees and the managers.

In addition to the high-level frameworks mentioned, another tool to align team members around decision-making is the DEARS model. D- Decider: the person making the final decision (example the Chief Revenue Officer deciding to raise prices) E- Executor(s): those carrying out the decision (in the above example - retail staff changing prices in stores and marketing updating prices on the company website) A- Advisor(s): those with key intel on the decision (the sales team, finance, and marketing in the above example) R- Recipient(s): those affected by the decision (customers, staff needing to know the new prices) S- Sponsor: usually an executive sponsor who must approve budgets and other key decision variables

At the height of the pandemic in 2020 I lead a state team that began in the October and we were 100% virtual. No one on the team knew each. From that experience I learned many things. Building from the virtual world vs moving from in office to virtual had to be nourished differently. Being intentional with getting to know each other and All talents and passions the team has will build cohesion. Taking time to embed inclusion and belonging activities into every agenda is pivotal to the team starting to begin to learn about each other so trust can be built. The work is this work and if people can learn about each other the work they were hired to do may not get done or won’t get done at optimization levels.

Building trust and rapport remotely, especially across countries and time zones, requires dedication and consistent attention. From my experience leading global teams, dedicating time with my team to focus on how everyone is doing as a human, not just an employee, has been essential. I use a weekly leadership team meeting where there is no business agenda. (This is in addition to the discussions needed to ensure work is happening.) Instead, we focus this discussion on holding space for one another to share how we're feeling, what we might be dealing with outside of work, and how our energy is at the moment. The goal is to simply be with one another, without judgment. This vulnerability and support quickly builds trust in all directions.

For leaders, especially with remote teams, you can't force or rush trust-building. Four key steps to building trust are: 1. Time with. There is no workaround here. Make the time, through both formal one-on-ones, and informal check-ins, to develop rapport with your team. 2. Prioritize psychological safety. Treat them with respect, give them clear lines of communication, including what to do if they don't feel comfortable coming to you. 3. Do what you say you're going to do. Following up & following through build trust. Failing to do so erodes trust. There is no grey area here. 4. Demonstrate vulnerability. Share your mistakes, say "I don't know" when you don't, & let the team know it's ok for them to make mistakes or not have all the answers

Building trust and rapport is in the perfect example that we just went through during the shutdown then the pandemic we all worked to rebuild, retest, turn the I don't know how we will accomplish this until we will accomplish this and all of this was done remotely by teams, by conference calls, by Zoom and we have done it and we continue to do it improve grow and drive for the best results and this all stemmed from being remote building the trust and the report from each other.

Emotions check-in: Small but impactful step to build rapport remotely. In a remote environment, we're normally multi-task taking status. To start a remote meeting and gain the presence of everyone, you can ask your team a simple question: "How are you feeling now?" and invite everyone to share their feelings. The objective is not to know the feeling. It just a small step to switch people focus to the new conversation and engage with each other naturally.

Having a Daily standup is very crucial, not only to take stock of all the work being handled by the team but identify where members can collaborate to get things done faster, apprise each other of their tasks to reduce redundancy and ensure they don't work in silos and also see if things can be repurposed. Clear daily communication also gives them a sense of team bonding and constantly being in touch.

Consistent and effective communication is key to maintain cohesion within a team. But there is a delicate balance here. Too many meetings lead to work not getting one, burnout and overall, time not being used effectively. When you have virtual meetings/check-ins/or brainstorming sessions, make sure to: 1. Have an agenda - this will help everyone know what to expect from the call and can be used as a tool to help keep the discussion on track. 2. Turn cameras on (when possible) - this is the best way to build trust and rapport, especially when your team is remote. You'll be able to better gauge how your team feels about certain decisions. It will also help them be more transparent with you (the leader) and each other.

Isolation is the antithesis of collaboration. When someone feels isolated or unseen, they are less likely to feel an allegiance to their team, and more like a cog in the wheel. Let your employees know that they are valued as individuals and as colleagues. Schedule regular virtual meetings and social events where work isn't discussed at all. Regularly solicit feedback as to how they are feeling and what can you do to help them feel more connective. Have clear boundaries and expectations, allowing for differences in time-zones. If you are on the east coast and you have teammates on the west coast, arrange meetings at mutually convenient times. Have clear start and end times to the day.

Collaborative tools like Teams are highly effective in increasing efficiency, decreasing time taken to complete tasks and build a cohesive team

Doesn’t matter if it’s in-person or virtual team, encouraging collaboration and innovation is a challenge whose odds are success are directly related to how much trust you’ve managed to build within the team and how much the purse-string holders are willing to go out on a limb with something new. There are many well-established ways to improve trust and communication which is why, in my experience, it’s usually the purse-string holders who are the limit to innovation. Usually because of the dreaded Return on Investment (ROI) and how they chose to calculate if the ROI is worth it or not.

Maintaining group cohesion while working remotely has become increasingly important; monitoring and measuring group cohesion is key. I've implemented regular check-ins and surveys to gauge the team's dynamics and sense of unity. I use online surveys to assess team members' feelings of connectedness and satisfaction with communication and collaboration tools. I also monitor engagement levels during virtual meetings and team activities. This data helps identify emerging issues, such as feelings of isolation or miscommunication, allowing timely interventions to strengthen cohesion. Additionally, feedback from these assessments provides insights into how remote work policies and practices can be improved.

I was recently responsible for leading a hybrid team that worked in different locations. It was important to me that I gauged the tempo of the team so I was strategic with my meetings so I could keep up with my team but also didn't have meetings just to have meetings. For me, I had a team meeting before meeting with our section. The next day, I always met with my supervisor (also in a remote situation) and then I had 1-on-1 meetings with each of my direct reports. This gave me a lot of team visibility but also the ability to have checks and balances built into our schedule!

Time management is very important when you have people working across different time-zones. If most of the team is on the West Coast, don't schedule group calls at 6pm because that is 9pm on the East Coast. Conversely, if the team leaders are on the East Coast, remember that 9am ET is only 6am PT. No one wants to feel that they are running late from the minute they start working.

In my experience of working remotely, maintaining a sense of connectivity and inclusiveness among team members is paramount. One can achieve this by utilizing online communication channels such as video conferencing and instant messaging platforms, enabling team members to remain updated on each other's progress. Furthermore, to foster a sense of camaraderie and enjoyment, virtual team meetings, and social events should be scheduled regularly - create a culture of belonging and inclusion.

The most important aspect for me here would be to ensure that whatever learning asset one creates and delivers , actually solves a real pain point or need for the learner and does that exactly when the learner needs that assistance.. And that it does that in the simplest and most user friendly way . Learning needs to add real value to the user and , just in time ..else, it won’t matter how fancy it is. To make your learners really love learning , help solve a real challenge for them and gain knowledge or skills that helps them master the same and ace their performance . Yes, if it is designed & delivered in a very engaging manner that helps. Sharp shoot ! which one can do only if one understands learner needs really well .