Cultivating Remote Team Culture Step-By-Step

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Some people argue that you cannot build team culture effectively remotely, others propose that building for remote and distributed environments is almost the perfect blueprint and way to craft a sustainable team culture. Obviously, I am a proponent of the latter??

In this edition, we interview a Culture Architect and Expert on the how’s and why’s, plus what steps to take to “Shift” your remote team culture forward.

Why create a playbook for Remote Team Culture??

Remote Work Veteran and Team Culture Expert, Darcy Marie Mayfield recently released her guide to how to craft and build better Team Culture. I grabbed at the chance to chat with Darcy and understand her reasons for building her playbook and hear about her unique approach.

Darcy explained her motivations for creating the playbook:

"I wanted to create something that was really prescriptive on how to build Remote Team Culture. A guide that could be used by individuals and at a team level. Also, that would function if you wanted to dip in and out over time, acting as a step-by-step manual, but also as a playbook with interactive exercises"

The result, a super user friend step by step guide to design, construct and foster team culture, one phase at a time, called The S.H.I.F.T System. It epitomises the reiteration mindset needed for an effective Remote First approach, reminding us that we need to constantly be monitoring, cultivating and crafting for a positive team culture – it is not something that you do once and never again. It is an ongoing process and practice.

The exercises at the end of each section really reinforce the whole system and help anchor the learner in the key principles of a Remote First mindset and approach. Furthermore, the user-friendly and colourful design makes it easy and fun to follow.

See below for an example of the graphic from section one, on agreeing shared values at a team level.

S: Setting Expectations

During our discussions, it also became clear that for many teams and organisations the best starting point is to understand what Remote means to them, in practice.?

Darcy elaborates:

“Words really do make worlds! Many companies are unclear of what Remote means to them, their operations and their teams. Terminology and a common understanding of such, is so vital. I begin with Setting Expectations, where we strive to make the implicit explicit and agree a common set of definitions and understandings for ourselves and our team mates”

Voila and Step One of The SHIFT System was born, based on an agreed set of terms and objectives

H: Harnessing the Tools

A virtual and remote environment is enabled by technological tools. Therefore, leveraging these tools is a key part of supporting team interactions, communications, collaboration and operations.?

Darcy, took a model initially published by Remote First peer Chase Warrington and Head of Remote at Doist and suggested these changes:

“I flipped the original model on its head, to consider what is already available in relation to tools in your environment. What is already in use? Then asking good questions about what tool is used for what, when and by whom?”

A graphic of the model - shown below - that prompts about whether the tool is used for synchronous (live and real time) communications or asynchronous communications (non-live or time zone dependent). This exercise of understanding what tool is used when, for what, at a detailed level, helps to refine and rest goals, improving how tools are used, ensuring teams are moving in alignment towards the same goals.

I: Inspire Team Engagement

Supporting ongoing team interactions, engagement and connection is not harder than in person organisational environments, argues Darcy.

“It is just different and requires a different, more intentional approach”

She continues:

“If we set the intention, we support retention! Caring proactively, encouraging involvement and inclusion, is all in the planning and ownership.? I truly believe this and many of the stories and case-studies I share in the playbook, reflect that. The aim of this section is to truly motivate everyone to bolster connection, finding fun things to do and share and to transpire the physical limits that could exist for remote team environments”

A sample activity list is pictured:

F: Fostering Well-being?

A supportive environment needs to meet people where they are at, in terms of their individual remote work needs and situation. The way we approach wellbeing is rooted in proactive initiatives and shared experiences.

Darcy shares some best-case examples:

“Over the years, I have been involved in many projects and pilots to promote wellbeing via volunteering in local communities – which are super examples of how to make this actionable and practical”

The stories, case-studies and ideas shared in the playbook, alongside clear exercises to support implementation, are a fantastic resource to begin to grow this part of your team culture activities.?

T: Train the Brain

This is Darcy’s favourite section of the playbook, maybe why she saved the very best for last! A simple illustration of why this matters, is the exercise “Energy Audit”, illustrated below:

Energy tracking? is not a new concept in the Future of Work community, it is something that many seasoned experts practice, including authors of the Remote Works Book, who recommend it too, as part of their training and toolkit.

Darcy continues:

“This was about my understanding of how to master my own brain! How could I hack my approach via a set of reflections, exercises and activities to understand where I could learn, adjust and improve. Remote is really about refreshing these assumptions and regular experimentation, which is fun as it is always evolving and can be enhanced, with some focus and effort”

Finishing off the playbook with a section that is self-focused is ideal, as often the major improvements start with ourselves, as individual remote workers. How we reflect, monitor and self-adjust for better working, is also vital.

This brings the playbook process almost full-circle, ready to start again, reiterating as needed. A wonderful resource for individuals, teams and leaders alike, keen to reset and renew their Remote Work culture, in a logical and structured approach.

??Thanks to Darcy Marie Mayfield , find out more about The S.H.I.F.T System >>

?? May the road rise to meet you,

Best wishes, Ro

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