Managing Remotely

Managing Remotely

It happens all the time.  Your staff is working remotely and suddenly you realize you didn’t get the information you requested last week.  What do you do?

Do you immediately chastise them for not sending you the information?  NO!

Now you have to check your voice mail messages, your text messages, your personal e-mail and your office email addresses, and maybe even facebook or linkedin. 

The problem is two-fold.  One:  there are too many ways in which we communicate with each other these days.

Two:  We need to create processes (systems) with our staff so they know how to communicate with us – and what to use when.

In addition, we need to honor the system once we create it. 

There is no perfect system – but here’s my suggestion. 

First and foremost – have a code for sending/receiving e-mails. 

Red – for urgent – need your response asap

Yellow – important – today or tomorrow please

Green – this week

Blue – whenever….

I also suggest having them use cc when they don’t need a response, but just want to make sure you are being kept in the loop/

What about other tools:   IM, Video, Phone?  

IM – if your red code on the e—mail didn’t get a timely answer 

Video conferences are vitally important to help people on your teams get to know each other – and of course to help you get to know them.  They are also useful when you have brainstorming, or conflict to resolve – or anything really that requires give-and-take in a more personal and informal manner. 

Sometimes you just need to talk it out with an individual on the phone.,  This is especially true if there has been mis-communication in the e-mail exchanges.  If you need it – schedule it.  Also let your staff know that they too can use this medium if they feel that something requires a more detailed or complicated explanation or discussion.  Be sure that you allow time for these – and that your staff has permission to schedule them as they feel the need. 

I also recommend that both sides of a phone conversation take notes – and send each other their e-mail understanding of the salient points and decisions made during the phone conversation.  This takes a few minutes – but the time and aggravation it saves make it well worth it. 

Person-to-person – have we forgotten all about it?  It is by far the best way to communicate.  Not only are there words but there are facial expressions and body-language all giving us context and clues. 

It is so important to have your team members meet each other, get to know each other, and feel connected to each other.  This is the “honey” that helps build goodwill and putting in the extra effort.’

If staff is local – you can bring them together every other week.  If just a car or train ride away – maybe once a month.  If they are every where in the country, perhaps you need to be more frugal and only bring them together quarterly.  Even if they are in other countries and you can only afford to do it twice – or even once – a year, DO IT.  The rewards will be great. 

As a manager, if you can I’d strongly suggest you go to your people monthly or quarterly if you can’t do it monthly.  Again, there is nothing more valuable than face-to-face communication. 

Yes, it costs money.  Yes, it is inconvenient.  Yes, it takes time away from actually doing the work.  But if you could measure the value received against the perceived costs, you’d fine that the scales are slanted heavily in the direction of more value – much more value – than costs.