Thoughts from the Shed: Benefits and Challenges of Managing a Remote Team Remotely

THOUGHTS FROM THE SHED

BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF MANAGING A REMOTE TEAM

REMOTELY

SUZY BATES SUZY@FOURKITCHENS.COM

FOUR KITCHENS

AUSTIN, TX

WORKING REMOTELY AND

MANAGING REMOTELY

BENEFITS

DRAWBACKS

COMMUTE

NO COMMUTE! WOO HOO!

ALTHOUGH…

ISOLATION

PEOPLE

INTERACTIONSIn Person Video Conf Audio Conf Text/IM

Facial Expressions Yes Sort Of No No

Gestures Yes Sort Of No No

Inflection Yes Yes Sort Of No

Words Yes Yes Yes Yes

PRACTICAL TIPS

LUNCH OUT

ONCE A WEEK

TIMESET YOUR SCHEDULE

STARTING AND ENDING ARE IMPORTANT

BUFFER TIME

WORKSPACE

DEDICATED

WITH A DOOR

EQUIPMENT ISN’T

EVERYTHING

BUT IT HELPS

AUDIO/VIDEO CONFERENCING

MULTI-TASKING

MUTING

RECORDING

VIDEO CONFERENCING

BRADY BUNCH

VIDEO CONFERENCING

FOCUSED

VIDEO CONFERENCING

LOOK AT THE CAMERA

VIDEO CONFERENCING

RBF

CHANGING YOUR STYLE

WORKS GREAT IN PERSONIN PERSON MEETINGS

SWINGING BY

HAVING LUNCH

CHATTING AT THE COFFEE MACHINE

SHARING AN OFFICE OR SPACE

EVERYONE IN A ROOM WHEN HAVING CLIENT MEETINGS

NOW YOU HAVE TO TRY HARDER

CHECK INS

PERSONAL

PROJECT

DROPPING IN

ATTEND MEETINGS

VIEW AND ENGAGE IN IM CHAT ROOMS

SCHEDULE TRANSPARENCY

YOUR SCHEDULE IS MORE VARIABLE

BE TRANSPARENT

REPORTING STATUS

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

SCHEDULED ORGANIC TIME

VIRTUAL HAPPY HOURS

GROUP LUNCHES WITH IN-TOWN CO-

WORKERS

ELECTRONIC RANDOMNESS

OPEN VIDEO CONFERENCE LINES FOR

HANGING OUT

IM CHANNELS FOR NON-WORK SPECIFIC CHATS

JUMP ON A VIDEO CALL

CLIENT MEETINGS

BEING AWARE

RED FLAGS

TRANSPARENCY PROBLEMS

PEOPLE ARE MYSTERIOUSLY NOT AVAILABLE

EXPRESSIONS DON’T MATCH WORDS

DROPPING IN IS A PROBLEM

RED FLAGS

NOT LISTENING

REFUSE TO USE VIDEO

INTROVERTS VS. EXTROVERTS

OFFICE <> EXTROVERTED

HOME <> INTROVERTED

MOVING AND WFH

THIS IS A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION

MAKE FRIENDS

ENGAGE IN YOUR COMMUNITY

CLIENTS

MANY ARE STARTING FROM ZERO REMOTE EXPERIENCE

TRAINING AND SHARING

CAN IT WORK?

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS

PICK A TOPIC

CLIENT ISSUES

PART TIME EMPLOYEES (OR VACATION)

TRANSITIONING TO REMOTE

PARTIAL REMOTE (OFFICE AND REMOTE WORKERS)

THANK YOU!