Are you managing a distributed team? If you know how to do it, it is not so different from managing a normal team. Having said that, it is not easy either. The key is to transform traditional techniques. Allbusiness.com gave a few tips how to do it.
1) Clear expectations
In a team which is distributed, it is harder to make your expectations clear and understood. Verbal instructions can be misunderstood, emails can be forgotten and meetings may be missed.You have to be absolutely concrete and clear so your team will know exactly what is expected of them and when. The best solution is to involve a project management system which defines roles, responsibilities and goals. Using this type of system, members of your team will have the means for communicating among themselves and you will get the best outcomes on your projects.
2) Regular communication
The fact that you manage your team remotely does not mean you should not communicate with them regularly. There are plenty of possibilities: phone calls, instant messaging, and video conferencing. Do not forget that even if you do not see your employees face to face, they are still people, so chat with them time to time. Be helpful to your team in achieving goals and be there for them if they need help.
3) Easily accessible communication channels
If you do not share the same space with your team, communication is more difficult. You do not bump into colleagues during the day and arranging meeting is also difficult, so it should be easy for you and your team to have contact. It is useful if you exchange your private mobile numbers for emergency cases or use Skype.
4) Proper members of a team
It is important to choose right people, not everybody is suitable for this kind of work. Independence and responsibility are essential.
5) Agree on time intervals
It should be clear from the beginning what time you will contact your people and how much time they have to answer.
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