How to lead productive distributed teams
We have run distributed teams for years. Here is what we learned about human relationships, tooling, and the culture that actually makes the difference.
At Skaalab, we run distributed teams in the areas where our clients struggle to recruit: marketing, digital technologies, content creation, API design, and analytics integration.
We deliver higher-quality work, in less time, and at a lower cost than centralised agencies. Below are a few lessons we have learned about building and managing distributed teams. I hope they help you see what building your own distributed team could bring.
A policy centred on human relationships
When you lead distributed teams, you are rarely in the same room. Most companies would see that as a problem, but fortunately for us, and for our clients, most companies are wrong. Here is why.
Companies believe that gathering their staff in the same room or the same building means they are taking care of their team and managing it effectively. They believe managers are more effective, that they encourage collaboration, team building, and skill sharing, and they believe their teams are happy. That is a mistake, and an outdated mindset.
Working with distributed teams helps us be more human in our exchanges. We are better able to care about the members of our team, to check in on them regularly, to take the time to talk to them, and to learn more about their projects and how we can improve things.
Supporting technology
With distributed teams, your communication tools have to let you be productive and effective. We have found the following to be decisive in a good working relationship.
1. Video conferencing
Whether it is a quick five-minute call or a full team call, video conferencing is essential to enable face-to-face conversations with team members and clients.
2. Chat
At Skaalab, we try not to send internal emails. We have found that 60% of emails can be replaced by a two-minute video call and 30% by an instant message. We reserve email for exchanges that involve external addresses. Like most teams, we use Slack, which is a reliable and effective way to communicate.
3. Document sharing and storage
Creating and maintaining an accessible documentation structure is essential for our business. We personally spend a lot of time making sure our structure stays up to date, easy to search, and as simple as possible to understand.
4. Culture
What really defines whether your team succeeds or fails is its culture and its values, which matter just as much as talent and strategy. If you do not build and reinforce a set of sound rules and values, and if you do not make upholding them everyone's responsibility, you are exposing yourself to operational failures.
Conclusion
You now have the essential building blocks for managing a productive distributed team.
If you are ready to work with a distributed team, or simply want to know more, get in touch. We would be glad to tell you more about it.