Leading Remote Teams: Three Things to Focus On

If you’re anything like me, you’re feeling that the word ‘virtual’ is getting almost as overused as ‘the new normal’ and are starting to nearly have a physical reaction to it. Is it wrong to use the ‘v’ word? No, but since we’ve been here long enough to somewhat normalize it, perhaps we can nearly omit it, too.

Consider this to be slightly different than my usual writing style. Today I’m talking to you, a leader. Whether you have leader in your title or not, I’m going to assume there are people in your life that you lead, influence, and motivate in one way or another. And if you want to be a better leader when working with your remote team, consider these three things: 

1. Listen to your heart

 I’ve written hundreds of pieces like this before and almost never does the word heart come up. Gut, sure, but not heart. Leadership today is bigger than listening to your gut. To me, listening to your gut makes you a better (perhaps faster) decision-maker, but it doesn’t make you a better leader. Listening to your gut is that low-belly pull in one way or another. Listening to your heart almost feels like your eyes are watering and that near choking sensation in the bottom of your throat is telling you something. This is your compassion and empathy speaking. Don’t be afraid to listen to this. Compassionate, empathetic leaders are the ones that are connecting and supporting their teams best right now – and delivering the best results.

2. Consider optional office hours

Something I’ve heard work very well lately is leaders creating options in the morning, at lunch, or even sometimes for 30-minutes during the workday to have a blank space in their calendar where team members can tune in to connect offline. In this optional time, team members can come in and chat about anything other than work. Since there is no water cooler anymore, no lunchroom, and no chatting at the desks in our office, this time perfect for the team to come together (yes, virtually) and laugh again. If you can afford the time, I would strongly consider doing something like this at least once per week. Bonus points for those doing something other than just a Zoom call! 

3. Ask one extra question

Ok, the one-on-one meeting with your teammate is over, and everything went well. There is still 10 minutes left in your meeting block and your coffee is empty; is the meeting done? If you ask me, there is one question that is missing: Is there anything else on your mind? Not, ‘anything else?’, that’s too brief. By asking if there is anything else on their mind, you’re being the empathetic and compassionate leader that is opening the door to have a deeper conversation about what might be weighing on your teammate. By asking this question, you’re showing that you’re there for the person and truly care about their wellbeing. This question doesn’t force them to share or ask anything, it just gives them the opportunity to. You’re building trust, ensuring they know they matter, and that how they feel is important to you.

When we look to be better leaders and connect with our co-workers from a computer screen, many of the same leadership principles that applied way back in 2019 apply today, and it is the technology that we have to work around that changes. Those leaders that put people first, take the time to connect, and are empathetic just like they were last year are sure to see a happy, productive team today and into the future as well. When I think of leadership in this sense, I wonder how I can make the people around me feel as safe as they can be so they can be the best they can be. Reframing the conversation from leader to enabler enables us to connect and care at our deepest levels. 

 Oh, and the remote part? Notice how we didn’t really talk about that? When we omit the virtual and remote language and focus on connection, it doesn’t matter if we’re 6 feet or 600 miles away: we can all be better leaders by being more empathetic and compassionate people.

Questions to ponder:

1. When have I asked my team if there is anything on their mind they’d like to talk about?
2. Am I truly listening to my heart?
3. What 30-minute time block do you have in your calendar for the new ‘water cooler’ time?
4. What can I do to be more compassionate and empathetic?