7 Thoughtful Tips for Running a Remote Team

As the founder and CEO of Virtual Latinos, a company fully powered by remote workers and technology, I have discovered some useful tips for running a remote team:

Be open to learning from everyone. 

Keep an open mind and create a space for ideas, comments, and feedback. Plenty of great ideas come from your team based on things you discuss or what they think you should implement to improve the company. I believe people are more creative when they work from home because they get to think from a space where they feel completely comfortable. I’ve learned that every team member’s opinion and voice are just as important as mine, as a CEO. Furthermore, the main piece of advice I’d like to share is to be open to learning from everybody at all times.

Learn to delegate. 

Delegation is key to being a successful team leader. This was very hard for me to learn because I always thought I was the best option to do most tasks related to my business. I’ve now learned the importance of trusting your team and delegating tasks to them, instead of trying to do everything yourself. 

Delegating tasks will allow you to focus on the bigger picture and help your team grow. 

At Virtual Latinos, we help businesses and people achieve their goals by delegating certain tasks, allowing them to focus on what they do best. 

Invest in training and development.

To ensure that your team is highly skilled and able to perform at their best, you should focus on investing in ongoing training and development programs for your employees. If you work remotely, digital literacy and technology skills are especially important. The use of technology will continue to grow, so proficiency with a wide range of digital tools and platforms will be essential for success.

By nurturing your team’s knowledge and skills, you can expect to see better results from them. It can be as simple as sharing an article or an educational video from time to time or even inviting them to take a masterclass or a small online course. The possibilities are endless!

Be Flexible and Adaptable.  

In my opinion, one of the great benefits of working remotely is the ability to manage personal time. As a team leader, it’s essential to understand that each member has a life outside of work. This does not mean that because they work from home, they work less than someone with an office job. On the contrary, studies show that people are more productive when working from home, like the study from ConnectSolutions. It is a matter of time management and commitment from the team.

Moreover, the future will likely bring many unexpected changes, such as more competition, new tools, and new ways of doing things as society continues to evolve. Therefore, the ability to adapt to new situations and think on your feet will be essential for success.

Perfectionism often goes against adaptability and flexibility. If you’re a detail-oriented person like me who usually invests a lot of time in perfecting everything, being less of a perfectionist is a much better approach! Try not to perfect every aspect. Of course, you always want to do things the best way possible, but nothing will ever be ready if your goal is to reach perfection. Remember: Always be open to feedback and be willing to do things differently than you originally planned.

Trust your team.

I believe that trust is key when managing teams. Trust your people, they were hired for a reason. Try to give them space to research, come up with ideas, and work independently. Micromanaging is never good if you want to maintain a good relationship with your team. They will surprise you with the quality of work they can provide if you give them space to be creative.

Invest in technology 

Investing in technology is important, and I must confess that I am passionate about it. At Virtual Latinos, we are always looking for convenient tools that help us make work easier and more efficient.

Undoubtedly, technology is one of your best allies when working remotely, and it is important to pay attention and stay up-to-date with the new platforms that emerge every day to help companies.

From simple tools like instant messaging to complex ones that offer endless analytics, technology is a great help in improving the results and performance of a remote team. Therefore, I would recommend that any business owner invests in technological tools that will enhance their organization and communication processes to take their business to the next level.

Communication

Building strong communication is one of the most significant things in any type of business. Throughout my various roles during my career, I have learned that effective communication is crucial for achieving goals. Knowing how to properly communicate with your team and clients will open many doors and opportunities.

In the digitised world, we live in, communication takes many shapes and forms, and being able to adapt to all of them professionally and with a positive attitude is key. Specifically, when working remotely, the best ways to stay in communication with your team are through tools such as instant messaging, video calls, or email.  Although adapted, the real dialogue will never be outdated.

I always suggest being open to questions, setting up meetings to follow up and providing clear instructions. Little by little you will find the most suitable communication style for your team.

Overall, I hope that these tips I’ve learned during the last couple of years working remotely are useful for any director or manager who is in the same position as I was when I started running a business from home.