Remote People Call
Managing Globally Distributed Teams
@recursivefunk
13 direct reports,
spread across 5 time zones,
operating under 1 mission.
with 4 different categories of work,
I have...
Story Time
@recursivefunk
Teams
@recursivefunk
They're Immutable
Remote Teams
One remote team member = a remote team
@recursivefunk
The Myth of
"Remote Friendly"
@recursivefunk
We Know
- Security as an afterthought doesn't work
- Mobile-first is the prevailing wisdom
@recursivefunk
Remote First
@recursivefunk
How?
Technology
- Invest in video - voice only is not enough
- Calendar invites, by default, should have remote connection links
- Timezone reminder widget
@recursivefunk
Good Habits
-
Over-communicate
- Not just repetition, but context
- Share timezone pain
-
Do not cancel 1:1s with remote folks
- ...seriously, don't do it
- Around the room: remote folks first!
- Over-communicate
@recursivefunk
One Last Time...
Over-Communicate
@recursivefunk
Get Good at Async
- Write down everything, but only document what's important
- Discussions (outcomes)
- Questions/answers
- Full context
- Links for expanding knowledge
- Record knowledge transfers
- Great for on-boarding
- Frictionless access/discoverability
@recursivefunk
Cultural Norms
- Travel!
- $
- Use public channels
- Enforce!
- Consolidate public channels
- Context is King
- Three "why?"s
@recursivefunk
Takeaways
- Teams are immutable
- 1 new person = new team
- 1 remote person = remote team
- Invest in tech to connect people
- Good habits
- Overcommunicate
- Get good at async comms
- Cultural
norms
@recursivefunk
Thanks!
(Don't forget to over-communicate)
@recursivefunk