Effectively leading, managing, and communicating to a remote-based workforce has its unique challenges. Those challenges have been significantly amplified given the "work from home" mandates issued by states and local governments in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Having built a past business on a platform of a remote-based team, I'm well-aware of the challenges faced by business leaders, team leaders, and team members in such an environment.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, I've had dozens of conversations with clients, and we've together identified the following categorized checklist "Guidelines for Team and Group Remote/Virtual Meetings."
If you have additional practices, tips, systems, or processes that are working well for you in a remote-based workforce, I encourage you to share those, and I’ll add the best ideas. This list is dynamic and evolving, and I'll keep the latest version available on our blog site at www.AndyRobinson.Coach
Please share this checklist with your team, your department, your organization, your clients, and your friends. TOGETHER, we will get through this successfully!
Best Practice Guidelines for Team and Group Remote Meetings:
Establish an operating rhythm for virtual team and group meetings
Consider frequency and duration – Err on the side of more frequent vs. less frequent (in a remote context during the "stay at home" period, frequency is important)
Bridge distance through frequent communication
Calendar recurring meetings
Consider conducting daily “virtual huddles” as a means for setting, communicating, and sharing priorities for team members
Utilize video conferencing tools to optimize the feeling of team “connection”
Consider Zoom, Skype, GoToMeeting, and Microsoft Teams (my personal preference is Zoom)
Incorporate 2-3 minutes of social connection chat into the front side of team meeting agendas
Adhere to well-established meeting protocols and processes:
Begin and end all meetings on time
Ensure you have a complete, inclusive, and relevant participant list
Publish an agenda ahead of each meeting for all participants
Assign a facilitator to lead and manage the meeting
Assign a team member to capture next actions and commitments and send them to the team leader for distribution
Reconfirm the next meeting date
Find time to celebrate wins, even small wins
Consider training topics that can be delivered virtually, but keep them short and impactful
Andy Robinson, Executive Coach
239-285-5575
Andy@AndyRobinson.Coach
"Helping high-performing executives and business leaders maximize their influence and impact."