Leading a remote team can be challenging. How can you showcase your leadership skills without micromanaging?

Trust is one of the most critical elements of a successful team. Without it, work quality and team engagement suffers. It's critical as a leader to establish ways of working and values. I find that establishing relationships is of top importance - team meetings, 1/1s and other meetings should allow for a human element - time to talk as regular people and not only time for business. The time to be regular humans is what allows us to create great work together. Simon Sinek shared how the Navy Seals select leaders and it's stayed with me - they look at trust as a top factor. Selecting the smartest person in the room - but not the most trusted - creates risk. Choosing an intelligent person - with high trust - is the winning path.

First, before the recognition, acknowledgement and celebration, before the balancing autonomy with accountability, the leader must have integrity! No amount of praise and recognition matters if you don't put your words into action. All the "fluff words" mean absolutely nothing if you as the leader are not present and willing to put in the same work you expect from your team.

Leading a remote team effectively requires balancing guidance and autonomy. Start by clearly communicating goals, expectations, and deadlines to provide direction without hovering. Foster trust by empowering team members to take ownership of their work and make decisions. Use regular check-ins to offer support, address concerns, and celebrate achievements. Emphasize open communication through various channels to ensure everyone feels connected and heard. By focusing on outcomes rather than processes, you can showcase your leadership skills, encourage accountability, and create a positive, productive remote work environment.

"In teamwork, silence isn't golden, it's deadly." – Mark Sanborn. In my experience, the key to leading a remote team effectively lies in balancing autonomy with accountability. When you set clear, measurable goals at the outset, it provides a framework for team members to manage their responsibilities independently.

Just like in all human relationships, trust is a fundamental pillar. Treating employees like children who need to be supervised only generates noise. Sharing expectations with others and how those expectations impact one's goals and the company's dynamics is an important step towards building a relationship based on trust and empathy.

Establishing clear, measurable objectives is crucial for guiding a remote team. Ensure that everyone understands the project's goals, timelines, and their individual roles within it. This clarity helps team members stay focused and aligned, reducing the need for constant oversight. Regularly revisiting these objectives can keep the team on track and allow for adjustments as needed.

Establish OKRs that are based on the broader company goals. Help the team visualize the part they play in the company, customers and team being successful. Measurable KPIs assist in measuring progress, and learning where to focus.

Set Clear Expectations: • Define Roles and Responsibilities: Clearly outline each team member’s role, responsibilities, and expected outcomes. • Establish Goals: Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals to provide clear direction.

Making objectives clear is not a one and done activity. It requires conversation and listening to ensure there is clarity and also discussion on what might go left or what other work may need to be deprioritized.

- Ensure each team member understands the overall vision and their specific contributions to the project. - Utilize virtual tools to detail project timelines, deliverables, and milestones for transparency. - Define success criteria clearly so team members know what is expected of them. - Emphasize performance metrics based on results and output rather than time logged. - Provide regular updates and reiterate goals to keep everyone aligned and focused on common objectives.

- Select appropriate communication tools for various needs, such as instant messaging for quick updates and video calls for detailed discussions. - Foster an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas and concerns. - Practice active listening to ensure you fully understand and address any issues that arise. - Schedule regular team meetings to keep everyone informed and engaged, while also allowing time for informal check-ins. - Encourage feedback on communication practices to continuously improve how the team connects and collaborates.

You’ll have to give up on synchronous communication and embrace asynchronous communication if you want to be a successful leader in a remote setting. Asynchronous communication allows team members to respond and engage on their own schedules, accommodating different time zones and work styles. This approach fosters flexibility and respect for individual working rhythms, reducing the pressure of real-time responses and allowing for more thoughtful, well-considered interactions.

Effective Communication: • Regular Check-Ins: Schedule regular one-on-one and team check-ins to stay updated without micromanaging. • Use the Right Tools: Utilize communication tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom to facilitate seamless interaction.

"Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know." – Jim Rohn. Mastering effective communication is necessary to leading remote teams without resorting to micromanagement. You could try to prioritize using the appropriate tools for different communication needs. This will ensure that information is conveyed clearly and efficiently, reducing misunderstandings.

Além de exercitar a sua escuta ativa, escutando o que cada um tem a dizer e refletindo sobre, sua comunicação deve ser clara no dia a dia, deixando claro para a equipe quais são as metas e prazos (para dar mais segurança ao time), bem como na comunicação clara via email e via ferramentas de comunicação (Slack, Meet, Teams, etc.). Uma dica que me ajudou bastante foi um curso de como escrever emails melhores, oferecido pelo próprio LinkedIn Learning (existem versões e variações deste curso em inglês e português).

Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it." – Dwight D. Eisenhower. The key to showcasing leadership without micromanaging in a remote setting hinges on effective communication. Try to use different channels according to the nature of the information shared. For instance, instant messaging tools are ideal for quick updates, while Zoom is reserved for in-depth discussions and team meetings.

The key to empowering teams to make decisions is to norm with them on how to do so. What are the bottom lines? What are non-negotiables? While teammates should have autonomy in key areas, there also needs to be cohesion. This will set folks up to make effective decisions.

To be an effective leader, it is essential to empower autonomy. When I onboard new team members, I set clear expectations about my leadership style and training approach. I communicate that while I am initially available to answer questions, I encourage them to first explore available resources and trust their own abilities to find the answers. This fosters a sense of self-reliance and confidence within the team.

Empowering autonomy in a remote team involves fostering independence while ensuring that team members are aligned with organizational goals and have the support they need. 1. Set Clear Goals and Expectations: • Define Objectives: Clearly articulate team and individual goals to provide direction and purpose. • Establish Guidelines: Provide guidelines for decision-making while allowing flexibility in how tasks are accomplished. 2. Trust Your Team: • Show Confidence: Express trust in your team’s ability to perform tasks without constant oversight. • Avoid Micromanaging: Resist the urge to oversee every detail of their work; instead, focus on results.

Empower your team by giving them autonomy over their work. Encourage them to take ownership of their tasks and make decisions independently. Provide the resources and support they need but avoid hovering over their shoulders. This approach not only boosts their confidence but also fosters a sense of responsibility and initiative.

At the same time as we provide constructive feedback and support to others, it's essential to ask for their feedback and show genuine interest in other people's opinions and learnings. Especially if we are in a position of authority, it sends a clear message, establishes reciprocity, and lets everybody know that it's OK to give, ask, and receive feedback. Plus, if we do it from a psychologically safe place, in time, people will probably open up, and providing feedback will become a habit.

"Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary." – Margaret Cousins. Effective leadership in a remote environment is greatly enhanced by consistent recognition and constructive feedback. When you make it a practice to celebrate your team successes in your virtual meetings and through your digital communication channels, it visibly shows that you value everyone's contributions.

Publicly praise wins! Celebrate achievements in team chats or meetings. Give specific feedback, not personal attacks. Focus on the action, not the person, and offer solutions. Make feedback timely. Don't let praise or critiques get stale. I have made sure to make it a habit of implementing each of these practices in the workplace, resulting in a positive environment as they give them a space to grow their skills.

Celebrate Achievements: • Recognize Efforts: Acknowledge and celebrate individual and team achievements regularly. • Public Praise: Use team meetings and digital platforms to publicly recognize accomplishments. Focus on Outcomes: • Results-Oriented: Concentrate on the results and outcomes rather than the process. • Flexibility: Allow team members to work in ways that suit them best as long as they meet their goals.

- Publicly celebrate team and individual achievements in virtual meetings or group chats to boost morale. - Provide timely, specific feedback that focuses on behaviors and includes constructive suggestions for improvement. - Acknowledge and reward exceptional work to motivate and retain top talent within your team. - Implement regular one-on-one sessions to offer personalized feedback and discuss career development. - Create a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging feedback loops and open communication.

Acredite de fato de que você está ajudando o caminho que a pessoa trilha em sua vida. Nesse sentido, mostrar que você entende a trilha que a pessoa está percorrendo, mesmo que o caminho seja diferente daquele do qual você acredita que é o correto, é essencial para demonstrar o quanto você se importa com a pessoa.

In my opinion, investing in your remote team's professional growth is crucial for showcasing leadership without micromanaging. Encourage continuous learning by providing access to relevant online courses and webinars. During one-on-one sessions, discuss career aspirations and identify ways to support their goals. Offer tailored development plans and set aside time for skill-building activities. Promote a culture of knowledge sharing, where team members can teach each other new skills or insights. Show genuine interest in their progress by regularly checking in on their development. When your team sees your commitment to their growth, they'll be more engaged, motivated, and inclined to excel in their roles.

Taking the time to understand the team members professional and personal goals. When team members recognize that you are invested in their growth, this fosters trust. Communication on the available tools and resources to them to execute on the plan.