Conquering the Remote Team Communication Flow
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Navigate time zones, communication styles, and technology within remote teams for optimal performance. Build trust, maintain inclusion, and enhance productivity through effective remote team management strategies.
Conquering the Remote Team Communication Flow
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Conquering the Remote TeamCommunication Flow MaryKay Grueneberg November 12, 2018
About me: MaryKay Grueneberg Certified Professional Technical Communicator STC Fellow Sr. User Assistance Developer @MKGee
Remote and global teams come with special issues and challenges
Maintaining functional communication is key for global team success
Manager Responsibilities • Navigate time zones • Navigate communication styles • Manage meetings • Defining roles (not titles) • Bond the team • Tame the technology • Be aware
Meetings need to rotate • Project plans need to accommodate • Need a common time block for communication • Need to be flexible • Cannot use it as an excuse to exclude
More than just a language difference • Cultural differences – meeting settings • Consider different needs and approaches • Be mindful, not obsessive • Avoid idioms and slang • Cultural diversity is just another diversity
“Determining national characteristics is treading a minefield of inaccurate assessment and surprising exception. There is, however, such a thing as a national norm.” Richard D. Lewis, British linguist
Meetings Out of control?
Meetings • Bi-weekly meetings, at a minimum • Rotate times for team meetings • Treat time zones fairly • Structure the meeting schedule, but let meetings be natural • Unmute!
Define roles, not titles Photo: http://wisconsintechnologycouncil.com
Need to understand their role, not just their title • Everyone needs to feel needed • Inclusion is especially important for the remote team member • Team goals help create focus
Build Bond the team • Social virtual lunches or virtual coffee breaks • External team lunch? …send a gift card • Conference calls – be aware (chatter) • Agenda item – catch up time • Virtual office tours
Technology Photo: www.aiesec.ca
Technology Brainstorming and informal collaboration: Online communities: Yammer, Stormboard, Slack, Pie, Trello, MS Teams, Office 365 Informal discussions: chat, Lync, Skype, Stormboard Building relationships: in person, teleconference, telephone (in that order!) Photo: www.aiesec.ca
Technology virtual polls: Doodle, Adoodle, Wiggio, DirectPoll Group decision making: Video conference or video: Viber, Skype, Skype for Business, GoToMeeting, Zoom, WebEx, Periscope Presenting information: Sharing information and updates: Internal blog, social network: Yammer, Slack, Jam
Technology online tools: MS Project, JIRA, SharePoint, Trello, Asana, Base Camp Project management and creating assignments: online calendars: Time Zone Ninja, TimeAndDate.com, Doodle, NeedToMeet, MeetingWizard, Google Calendar, Miranda Scheduling meetings: Preparing reports: collaboration tools: Google Docs, Air Table, Huddle
.Be Aware Introvert? Unsure? Lacking communication skills? Photo: HuffingtonPost.com Intimidated?
Pay attention to silent members • Establish the reason for silence • Coach communication skills • Encourage team members to reach out • Make sure all are equal
Remote Team Member Responsibilities • Stay visible • Verbalize non-verbals • Connect with the team • Perform
Be Visible • Talk during meetings • Let people know what you’re doing • Ask if you can help • Have an opinion
Verbalize Non-Verbals • Laugh out loud • Say “yes” while others are nodding • Have a good attitude • Smiles can be heard • Sit up straight
Connect with the team • Good interpersonal skills • Overcome obstacles • Engage your co-workers • Be available • Seek out support
Perform • Be organized • Decrease distractions • Toot your own horn! • It’s an office, not a bed • Know your goals
Everyone’s Responsibilities • Some things are a just two-way street: • Build trust • Change isolation into inclusion • Check in • Set realistic goals • Give Recognition
Build TRUST Trust is a two-way street
Building trust takes time • Prove your worth - allegiance will follow • Don’t expect anything you are not willing to do yourself • Lead by example
Isolation Photo: Petrol/CanStockPhoto
Isolation Inclusion • Isolation => feeling undervalued and powerless • Inclusive culture leads to productivity • Helping people belong ≠ being interchangeable • Ask for input
Check in • Keep the schedule • Be consistent • Scrum-like • Be proactive • 1:1 – highest value activity you have
Set realistic goals • Have a plan • Be transparent • Stretch • “A goal is a dream with a deadline”
.Rewards and Recognition • Validation • Peer recognition • Formal or informal • Get creative! Photo: http://www.e2logy.com
Remote and global teams come with special issues and challenges… …but nothing that can’t be overcome!
Thank you! Contact me!MaryKay GruenebergMaryKay.stc@gmail.com