Five tips for leading your remote team better

If there’s anything that leaders are acknowledging now, it’s that leading teams remotely is not easy. Some people are just not good at distance and still prefer face-to-face interaction with their teams. With social distancing measures in place, leaders are learning to manage their teams remotely as they go.

Image source: sciencemag.org

Image source: pandasecurity.com

Open lines of communication. Even in online discussions with your team, maintain a receptive attitude. In general, leaders should talk to their teams as the workday begins and in the afternoon or evening for the end-of-day report. Practice emotional intelligence or empathy when leading your team, says Ram Chary Everi. While it’s a quality that every employee looks for in their leader, not everyone has that skill. Now more than ever, leaders must communicate compassion, truth, trust, and hope to their teams.

Be trustworthy. Even when not working from home, every leader must build trust among the teams they manage. Remote workers must know that their leaders are concerned about their wellbeing. On the flip side, managers must learn to trust their teams as they navigate through a different work setup. Practice patience when communicating with the team. Others may take longer to adjust to the new setup and may need extra guidance.

Ram Chary Everi reminds leaders to appreciate teams. A little appreciation goes a long way. There is a certain level of freedom one gets when working from home. However, it can ssometimes be lonely. Express gratitude and appreciation to your team to boost morale.

Ram Chary Everi has held various executive positions in the past, including as CEO and president of Multimedia Games Holding Company, Inc., executive vice president of Global Commercial Services, Inc., and the head of the technology division at Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. Click here for similar reads.