Communicating with remote teams can be challenging, but also rewarding. As a team facilitator, you need to use the right tools and techniques to keep everyone engaged, informed, and productive. Here are some tips to help you communicate effectively with remote teams.
Not all communication channels are created equal. Depending on your purpose, audience, and urgency, you may need to use different modes of communication, such as email, chat, video call, phone call, or document sharing. For example, email is good for formal and detailed messages, chat is good for quick and informal updates, video call is good for interactive and collaborative sessions, phone call is good for urgent and personal matters, and document sharing is good for asynchronous and structured feedback. Choose the channel that best suits your message and your team's preferences.
It’s really important to have the tools and practices to allow connection on a personal level. We saw real issues with email and Skype when we tried to use them during the pandemic, Teams without chat didn’t help much either. What did help was a Slack-like app which allowed a much more conversational, instant exchange amongst teams. Gifs, images, reactions; ways for people to express themselves and build emotional connections. Anything else we’ve found delivers really stiff, undesirable results
The type of communication channel we use depends highly on culture in the organisation. From my experience in more hierarchical organisations email is a main tool of communication whereas less formal ones it would be Teams or the like.
Remote teams need to have clear expectations and norms for communication. This means setting up regular meetings, defining roles and responsibilities, agreeing on deadlines and deliverables, and creating a communication plan. A communication plan should outline the frequency, mode, and agenda of communication, as well as the expected response time and etiquette. For example, you may decide to have a daily stand-up meeting via video call, a weekly progress report via email, and a monthly feedback session via document sharing. You may also agree to respond to emails within 24 hours, to chat messages within an hour, and to phone calls within 10 minutes.
Remote teams can benefit from using visual and interactive tools to communicate. These tools can help you share information, ideas, and feedback in a more engaging and effective way. For example, you can use online whiteboards, mind maps, polls, quizzes, or games to facilitate brainstorming, problem-solving, decision-making, or learning activities. You can also use screen sharing, annotation, or emojis to enhance your presentations, demonstrations, or discussions. Visual and interactive tools can help you create a more dynamic and collaborative communication environment.
I believe it is important to have a quick intro/ mini training once introducing the tool in the team. I always ask when I use the tool for the first time with a team if they know it and explain basic functionality. In this way, team members can focus entirely on the purpose of the meeting instead of learning how to use the tool.
Remote teams need to build trust and rapport to communicate well. This means showing respect, empathy, and appreciation for your team members, as well as being honest, reliable, and supportive. You can build trust and rapport by using positive and constructive language, giving and receiving feedback, acknowledging and celebrating achievements, and resolving conflicts. You can also build trust and rapport by creating opportunities for social and informal communication, such as icebreakers, check-ins, virtual coffee breaks, or fun activities. Social and informal communication can help you get to know your team members better, understand their perspectives and needs, and create a sense of belonging and community.
Remote teams need to adapt and improve their communication over time. This means seeking and acting on feedback, evaluating and measuring results, and making adjustments as needed. You can seek and act on feedback by asking your team members for their opinions, suggestions, and concerns, as well as giving them yours. You can evaluate and measure results by using indicators, such as engagement, satisfaction, performance, or outcomes. You can make adjustments by changing your communication channels, expectations, norms, tools, or strategies. Adapting and improving your communication can help you overcome challenges, seize opportunities, and achieve your goals.