When I started to write this blog I really wanted to write that there is no difference between co-located and distributed teams because when I think of teams in any shape and form I think of feelings, connections, and communication. I even started a version that said exactly that. When I then tried to write the content, I found out that I was in trouble. I did a quick restart and considered the challenges that are very specific to distributed teams and what I do differently when working with these teams and why. It also got me contemplating the difference between the co-located teams that turned distributed because of Covid (maybe temporary) vs. teams that have been distributed from the beginning (often because of location).
Here are some of the things I have noticed through the years, working with my awesome distributed teams. I´ll start with the easier topics and work my way to the doozy. Enjoy :)
Tools and Technology
One of the things I am grateful for in this past year and a half is that all the tools and technology needed to be a successful distributed team is no longer such a hindrance as before Covid (can we talk about BC?). The communication software has been vastly improved (just look at the improvements made to Zoom or Teams) and we also have great tools like Miro to visualize our work (ps. I love Miro). Adding to that, access to good communication devices like webcams, headphones, and mics is, in most cases, no longer an issue and has been standardized in many companies.
Time Zones
This can be a difficult topic to handle. Most distributed teams I have worked with are located in different parts of the world, in different time zones, sometimes as much as 8-9 hours apart. What I have found useful, is for the team to discuss and agree on how to adjust to the time zone challenge. Usually, this is something that the teams might take on as part of their Communication Contract when they start working together and is then re-visited and adjusted when needed. It´s important to remember that although the team is distributed, there is something called a work/life balance that we want to maintain and it´s not sustainable for certain team members to be always available for work.
Examples of questions to ask when creating the Contract:
When is it acceptable to book team meetings? Is it always OK to approach team members when it´s after hours in their time zone or do we need to establish a certain criterion depending on urgency (bugs, blockers, build issues)? How do we want to communicate to the teammates that are not at work? Maybe a team chat for non-urgent issues that those not at work check in on hourly for x hours? A message, text, or phone call for urgent issues? Is there a time of day when team members are completely off-limits? what about lunch hours?
It can be very frustrating to work in a team with many hours' time difference but it does help to set up rules at the beginning and of course, adjust and adapt regularly (schedule a 'how we work as a distributed team' retrospective).
Needless to say, it helps to have a good dose of honesty, respect, and trust in the team.
In-person
Most of the Covid distributed teams have already had the luxury of working together face to face on a regular basis. For other distributed teams I would always recommend, if possible, to meet up a few times a year and make it casual as well as work-related. One of my favorite distributed teams goes on hikes together the few times a year they meet up, how awesome is that?
Trust
Now we are getting to the juicy bits!
Patrick Lencioni knew what he was talking about when he wrote about trust as the foundation of teams (The five dysfunctions of a Team). If we dig down a bit, what does it mean to have trust in teams? It´s a big word, right? For me, it´s about being able to show up at work as quirky me, without any armor, know-it-all attitude, or have to pretend to be something that I am not. It´s also about being able to be vulnerable, express my feelings without fear of being judged, and last, but not least it's about being able to admit failure. Does this sound scary? Hold on because there is more. Google researched 'What makes a team effective at Google' (codenamed Aristotle) where they found out that the dynamics of their most effective teams was psychological safety, that it´s OK to take risks, ask stupid questions, and not be punished for their shortcomings.
All of the above is true for both co-located and distributed teams and I love to see it as part of overall company cultures as well.
How do we create trust and psychological safety in a distributed team where people have no daily casual and in-person encounters (no hugs, going to CrossFit together, or grabbing beers)?
For me, it´s about creating the space and invest in the creation of curiosity and sharing within the team. Of course, all teams are different, each person is unique and in a team, a special relationship is created. Try to meet the team where they are at, is my go-to rule, but I often find it helpful to start with a session where the goal is for the team to share something personal about themselves (it´s a safe place and you only share something you are comfortable with preferable on camera), you as a team can decide if questions are allowed or even use gamification (quiz cards to make it more random and fun). Going forward, create a Communication Contract and decide if you want to have regular casual meetups, open mic, or other sessions. After that, have a regular 'how we work as a distributed team' retrospective and adjust/try out new things. Do surveys like VIA character strengths or 16personalities and find out what you have in common/makes you unique. Figure out what kind of special powers your teams combined strengths brings to the table. Stay curious, have fun and experiment.
Loneliness and Connections
Working in a distributed team can be really hard and I think, looking back on my teams throughout the years, is not for everyone. There are, of course, different circumstances to take into account. The team can be located in different countries but each person is working from an office together with their peers so there are plenty of opportunities to socialize, although not with their teammates. Then we can have a situation where each member of the team is working from home and with different family and home situations this can become lonely. I think loneliness is a feeling many people can relate to through Covid. Having all of a sudden to work from home might have been a relief at first, and because there are no interruptions you might have gotten a lot done, but at heart, we are social beings and the feeling of isolation can be difficult in long term, especially if you live alone and there are restrictions due to Covid so you cannot meet your family and friends outside of work.
I feel that great team morale, where trust and psychological safety is in place, can do a lot to improve the loneliness factor. If you are able to show up at work and be yourself, even start the day with an emotional check-in (for example on a scale of 0-10 how are you feeling, explanations optional) and really connect with people, it´s more likely, in my experience, that the social needs are being met and you get the feeling of belonging.
Some of my favorite connections with people at work are the remote ones, these are people in my distributed teams that I have only seen in a window on my computer screen and never or seldom met in person but I am honored to call friends. Again, I think the magic is being able to be yourself (most of us have an internal detector, sensing if someone is not true to themselves or holding back). Looking into the eyes of your team members every day (love how people are generally open to being on camera), becoming part of their life by sharing life events, is truly fulfilling.
More
there is always more :) There are rules and regulations, vacations, and employee rights that are different between countries and might affect the team if not taken into effect. Share what is going on with your team and what your plans are. Transparency is the key.