What are the benefits and challenges of leading a cross-functional team remotely?

1 Benefit: Access to a wider talent pool

One of the advantages of leading a cross-functional team remotely is that you can access a wider talent pool than if you were limited by geography. You can recruit and retain the best people for your project, regardless of where they live or work. You can also benefit from the diversity of your team, as they can bring different perspectives, experiences, and expertise to the table. This can enhance your team's creativity, problem-solving, and innovation.

2 Challenge: Lack of face-to-face interaction

One of the drawbacks of leading a cross-functional team remotely is that you lose the opportunity for face-to-face interaction with your team members. This can affect your team's trust, rapport, and cohesion, as well as your ability to provide feedback, recognition, and support. You also miss out on the non-verbal cues, such as body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions, that can convey important information and emotions. To overcome this challenge, you need to communicate frequently and effectively with your team, using various channels and tools. You also need to create opportunities for social interaction and team building, such as virtual coffee breaks, icebreakers, and games.

3 Benefit: Flexibility and autonomy

Another benefit of leading a cross-functional team remotely is that you can offer your team members more flexibility and autonomy over their work. You can allow them to choose their preferred work hours, locations, and styles, as long as they meet their deadlines and expectations. You can also empower them to make decisions and take ownership of their tasks, without micromanaging them. This can increase your team's motivation, satisfaction, and productivity, as well as reduce stress and burnout.

4 Challenge: Coordination and alignment

Another challenge of leading a cross-functional team remotely is that you need to coordinate and align your team's work across different functions, departments, and organizations. You need to ensure that your team has a clear and shared vision, goals, roles, and responsibilities, and that they understand how their work contributes to the bigger picture. You also need to establish and monitor the progress, quality, and outcomes of your team's work, and resolve any conflicts or issues that may arise. To overcome this challenge, you need to use effective project management tools and methods, such as agile, scrum, or kanban. You also need to foster a culture of collaboration and accountability, where your team members communicate openly, share information and resources, and support each other.

5 Benefit: Cost savings and environmental impact

A final benefit of leading a cross-functional team remotely is that you can save costs and reduce your environmental impact. You can cut down on the expenses of travel, accommodation, office space, equipment, and utilities that are associated with in-person work. You can also reduce your carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions by avoiding commuting and flying. This can improve your bottom line and your corporate social responsibility.

6 Challenge: Technology and infrastructure

A final challenge of leading a cross-functional team remotely is that you depend on technology and infrastructure to enable your work. You need to have reliable and secure devices, software, platforms, and networks that can support your communication, collaboration, and data sharing. You also need to have backup plans and contingency measures in case of technical glitches, power outages, or cyberattacks. To overcome this challenge, you need to invest in the right technology and infrastructure for your team, and provide them with the necessary training and support. You also need to follow the best practices of cybersecurity and data protection.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?