Managing Remote Workersand Teams

Not surprisingly, the remote team manager's to-do list is rather extensive. Namely: ensure team members have (access to) all the knowledge, tools, training, processes, and cohesion they need to fulfill their agreed-to roles and obligations. As it happens, it's difficult to separate such a complex agenda into distinct sections organized by topic. Instead, the material is organized into the two stages of the development process.

The next two chapters cover what's called for in the planning stage:

• CHAPTER 7: Commit to providing strong, empathic, flexible leadership from a mind set of both trust in team members and belief that remote teams can succeed. Ensure team members have (access to) high-quality tools and equipment.
• CHAPTER 8: Facilitate that success, which calls for alignment throughout. First up, explore what solutions might be best for your particular personnel, objectives, and circumstances.

The last two chapters cover what's called for in the acting stage:

• CHAPTER 9: Engage the team in collectively deciding what tools, processes, and protocols to use; then document in a team agreement the expectations and etiquette of the work culture.
• CHAPTER 10: Bring it all together by running effective meetings, expressing thanks and celebrating success, and strengthening your relationship with each team member. Finally, experiment with small, reversible steps.

As is the case throughout this book, each chapter closes with a list of Remote Reminders that sum up the chapter's contents. In the Part IV EXTRAS, you'll find additional materials to help you put it all into practice, including a template for crafting a remote team agreement and tips for online meetings—plus a Manager's Action Plan that brings together the separate action items from these chapters. (This action plan is devised to guide both those already committed to remote working as well as those still deciding if it's a viable route to pursue—especially since the process of becoming remote-first will strengthen every team, even if you remain 100 percent colocated.)

If you're ready to get going, feel free to skip ahead to chapter 9. (The extra-ready could even jump to the Manager's Action Plan—and then later circle back to particular chapters as appropriate.) Or, if you prefer the slower, more thoughtful route, proceed with chapter 7.

Let's get started.