Remote Project Management: Tips for Leading Distributed Teams Effectively

Remote work is now common among large or small corporations and will only last for a while.  Project management across teams and departments is a major challenge for off-site units. 

Supervising projects across departments can be tough, even in-house. It can be challenging overseeing various team priorities, personalities, and schedules. Moreover, managing communications across multiple shareholders. It is understandable to forget minor tasks while juggling between team and stakeholders. When you add distance and remote programs, these concerns become more prominent. 

However, in any professional setting, you can turn this difficult task into an effortlessly managed project with the right tools and strategies without compromising productivity, efficiency, and dignity.  

What is a Distributed Team?

A distributed team is where all workers are far away, working remotely in different time zones. It means team members are operating from other places. It can be a coffee shop, co-working space, or home. You might have a supervisor from New York,  a colleague in Pakistan,  and another co-worker in Paris.  

This article will share seven incredible tips to manage distributed teams effectively.  

Seven Tips for Effective Remote Distributed Team Management

Effective remote team management is no easy task, but it is doable with the proper tools and strategy. The intent is to develop a workplace where workers prosper. Besides this, a culture of teamwork is created in your workflows, communications, and office, whether remote or in-person. Keeping that in mind, here are seven tips for achieving effective remote team management.

Facilitate Good Communication 

“Remote communication can be tough, so it’s essential to emphasize transparent and consistent techniques. It is possible through tools, anticipation, and mutual understanding. Tools that offer video conferences, email, and project collaboration programs can assist in bringing teams on the same page. They can also help teams take part in more impulsive chats and conversations. 

Multiple visionary ideas end up coming from coffee stand discussions in an office. While distributed team members can’t be in the same space together, they can always engage in quick check-ins. Plus, they can discuss problems and solutions over Slack or set up spontaneous Zoom calls to share visions and ideas.”

Wendy Wilhoit, Operations Manager – Brick Anew

Find Tools that can Assist you to Stay Organized.

Walking up to an employee’s desk to inquire about progress or review how they handle things is necessary. Unfortunately,  you can not simply go to the employee cabin to check-in. Therefore, there must be software to enable you to stay in the groove and observe your crew’s progress is essential. 

Professional managers understand when to depend on tool automation. Plus,  when to clear workflows to assist them in getting prepared, staying productive, and developing better connections with their unit. 

Employ a project management tool to assist you and your team channel objectives and progress. A virtual team management tool is necessary to make remotely working together on a project feel natural. Invest in team engagement software to stay in touch with the team. Moreover, encourage, help, and celebrate your distributed team.

Set Clear Expectations

Managers should emphasize giving priority to clear expectations and rules. Especially when working with distributed teams or a fully remote staff. Besides this, they may be co-workers with remote work experience or without prior remote work experience.

“Managers need to keep a balance between employees by establishing realistic goals. Moreover,  the manager must be mindful of newbies and guide them to better understand the project. 

 Not communicating expectations clearly can stir up several issues and misunderstandings. It may lead to major disruptions and hinder your team’s performance and workflow. Explain the tools you will use,  communication means, working hours, and project deadlines. Plus, whenever there is a change of plan, discuss it with your team and clarify new updates to them. It is always better to inform teams through a written notification or email. Thus, it should be readily available to all members involved in the project. It will bring every team member to one page without ambiguity.”

 Kenneth Jimmy, Product Engineer at –  Tekpip

Encourage a Healthy Work-life Balance

“When your team operates remotely from different zones, you’re bound to encounter moments where you have to be more flexible. Situations like emergencies, urgent home modifications, and unexpected meetings are commonplace. Embrace adaptation and adopt a management technique that determines the demand for flexibility. Plus, provide it freely to your remote distributed team members. 

Allow your team members to set their working hours according to their convenience. Plus, ask them to adjust for any spontaneous event accordingly. Make sure to arrange a 1:1 meeting with team members if they ask. Motivate and encourage them to care for their health and wellness alongside the project. It is important because remote workers often struggle to unplug and take a break. Therefore, ask your team members to prioritize health without compromising work quality.”

Te Wu, CEO of – PMO Advisory

Develop a Video-first Culture

Remote workers often feel lonely and disconnected because, unlike in-house workers, there are daily interactions. Office workers easily communicate and connect with other colleagues whenever they want to. Thus, developing a video-first culture can help encourage remote workers. Video conferencing tools and other software for better communication than audio calls. 

Video conferencing offers more “in-person” dealing and puts a human element to the discussion. There should be more attention to other types of digital contact. Time zone difference does not matter. You can communicate well with your co-workers if you can see and hear them. It lets you pick up on nonverbal hints and connect with them deeper.

Ask for and Act on Feedback

Recognizing your team’s feedback will benefit you to become a better manager. To encourage a better work atmosphere, allow your employees to be honest, open, and generous when sharing ideas on how the company may mature.

Make it a priority to encourage a feedback culture. Offer different platforms for your direct reports to voice their ideas and opinions. Provide a recommendation box where they can voluntarily communicate their thoughts. Ask them to score the performance using a direct report feedback template. Take action after obtaining the input. By doing this, you will establish trust and clarity. Moreover, you can show your staff that you value their feedback.

Keep Learning and Recalibrating

Fine-tuning remote management is a technique that requires to be constantly improved. Every corporation and every worker is extraordinary. Thus, your strategy to facilitate a distributed team will also be highly unique.

As you experiment with various techniques and ideas, keep your ear to the bottom and embrace a learning attitude. Give attention to how your workers feel about the modifications you make. Keep what performs and fix what doesn’t. Stay dedicated to refining your strategy for remote team management. Hence, you can empower your team fellows to reach their maximum potential.

Conclusion

Leading a distributed team is only some people’s cup of tea, but it is important for many large global corporations. Luckily, with developed technology, a more adaptable approach to distributed teams can operate together effectively. Make sure to employ proper tools and also invest in your people. It will ensure they feel encouraged and empowered to pitch in. Communicating daily and clarifying goals and expectations can solve major problems. Plus, you can build a positive and effective distributed work environment.