Leading A Virtual Team

As all size businesses around the world move into a “remote and virtual” operating mode there can be some concern and stress around how to stay effective as a business. How do we stay connected as a team? Having set up and run a business with employees all over the United States and we were a virtual company here are a few tips that could help.

1.      More Communications Required – While this may seem obvious the fact is you need to build in both planned formal communications efforts, along with drop in video calls one- on-one with your team members and many other communications approaches. The more remote a team is the harder it is to keep the bonds of community and connection. A few things we did as a remote team:

• Drum Line – We did a weekly call on Monday mornings first thing, it was called a Drum Line because we all had a few minutes to share what the focus of the week would be in their role, any personal things like birthday wishes, as the team leader I would set the priority for the next week and the next 30 days of the business. I would encourage everyone to stand up while doing the call and we would target a hard stop at 30 minutes.
• Office Hours – I would keep my calendar open everyday at the start for the first hour for anyone that needed to talk, share a point etc. I would only pick up for and from a team member.
• FaceTime Reach Outs – I would reach out to people on the team over the week one on one, and my main goal was to make sure they were doing well, see if they had any questions and ask “is there anything I can help you with?” In addition, I requested my other team leaders (Finance, Operations, IT, Marketing) to do the same.
• Email Newsletter – Something plain, simple and to the point. Re-sharing the goals, the successes, the birthdays, the new clients, etc.
• Set up a group calendar and make sure everyone knows how to access it, use it etc.
• Choose which video chat/ meeting tool you are going to use and make sure everyone has access and knows how to access it (here is a good recent write up on what is out there https://www.owllabs.com/blog/best-meeting-apps)  
• Face To Face – We would meet as a team each quarter face to face, with team building efforts, planning, sharing and time to hang out. With this current situation and no travel, no groups meeting we need to keep this in a holding pattern. Ask your team “any ideas on how we can have a fun team building and moral boosting meeting without the travel and group get together?” People can be so creative!

2.      Clear Direction – As the leaders of a business it is key that they direction, the focus, the support is understood by the whole team. Do not assume everyone gets it, has the plan in their heads and knows what to do to help. State the goals, the strategy, the direction over and over. Do it on calls, in videos, in emails, even in text format.

3.      Know How People Want Be Communicated With – One size doesn’t fit all. You need to understand how people on your team want to be communicated with. Do they want a text when you send out a group email? Want a phone call to talk over a change in direction? It is important that as a leader you understand how best to align the whole team.

4.      Ask How You Can Help? – Now more than ever as a business leader you need to be asking your team members how you can help? What needs to be done to help the team members and the business and how you as the leader can help? Just ask “how can I help you?”

I have always lived by the belief that good will come from bad. That what we are going through as a country, as a world and as businesses will make use stronger, smarter and better connected. We will all learn to communicate and grow because of this time.

Stay safe!

Best in Spirit!

David C