8 Ways to Better Lead Remote Teams

Managing remotely has quickly become the norm in today’s work world. And yet, it’s not easy. With more employees working remotely or on flex schedules, it can be tough to create the kind of connection you need to help people do their best work. You can’t pick up on non-verbal cues. You can’t tell if they’re having a good or bad day. You can’t have those quick, informal interactions needed to form comfortable, cooperative relationships.

This is why you must be intentional about projecting to your remote workers the kind of environment and team culture you want.

You must ask more, listen better, clarify more, explore challenges together, and engage on personal stuff in addition to work stuff. The best managers are able to do these things in a way that builds loyalty and connections that endure the ups and downs of corporate life.

The best managers seek to intentionally shape work environments. Managers who excel at creating the best environments, where people thrive and great work gets done, are “self-determined managers.” This is challenging and relentless work even when everyone works in close quarters. So, when distance is a factor, a great manager must push even harder to build a positive culture and get the most out of their team.

Here are eight things the best managers do to successfully lead remote teams:

They keep in touch. Great managers connect with their…