The world recently hit its anniversary since the pandemic. Like so many professionals around the world, we all took 2020 to adjust to our new work environments. As many of us took over kitchen tables, couches, and bedrooms, the last year left many people struggling to connect with others via Zoom, Slacks, Teams, and many other apps.
In this article, we’ll be covering three ways to promote team collaboration with remote peers. As we jump in, be sure to look through our communication skill guide to help you develop your collaboration skills and work harmoniously with your team.
Shared mindset
A shared mindset is a common set of beliefs or values around. As team, you all struggle to overcome ambiguous projects, fault lines, and anything that can come in your track. As leader, rallying your team behind a clear purpose and vision means intentionally putting thought and effort into how we foster common identities, and develop shared mindsets among the team.
Tip 1: Start with shared experiences. By creating space for commonalities to be openly discussed, your team will appreciate the safe space for them to share their thoughts and experience. Our shared experience of this pandemic can be a good place to start.
Tip 2: Facilitate a conversation around what the challenges and opportunities your team has faced the past month or year. For example, talking about the roadblocks during the pandemic can open the door for others to share their experiences and lean into their vulnerability.
Tip 3: Celebrate those around you. That means acknowledging each person and their efforts, no matter how big or small.
Provide a north star
Clarify the vision for your team. One of the most effective ways to establish and disseminate team vision is to share goals and objectives. Some of your peers may be swimming in ambiguity and fear in the future of work which can induces stress. For remote teams, alleviate this fear by creating a clear direction and structure around the coming quarter.
Tip 1: Use standup, retrospectives, and one-on-one meetings to reinforce the vision. Try to communicate as much as you can to your peers. Especially during a time where everyone is remote, over-communicating will only clarify priorities even more.
Keep a feedback flow
Whatever you do, don’t stop the feedback. Whether you’re giving or receiving the feedback, make sure to evaluate your team’s effort when working together. The ideal approach combines regular peer feedback sessions with your one-on-one meetings. Simply doing a quick temperature check every week, enables an environment where feedback is not feared but welcomed.
Tip 1: Don’t make feedback personal. Ensure you’re straightforward, candid, and objective.
Tip 2: When giving feedback, ask for feedback. This shows your team that you too are looking for ways to improve. It’s not just a one way street.
Tip 3: Find an opportunity to give feedback every week or in some kind of routine. Avoid giving sporadic feedback or at inappropriate times.
You can do these steps while working from home like setting aside time to communicate face to face via video calls or providing daily updates on projects so they're not left hanging in the balance when people are traveling for business trips or just working from home.
Food for thought
Working together sounds a little funky now. The idea of being an office, walking over to a peers desk, or even coming together for a meeting – all in the past now. While the logistics of working together may have changed in the past year, the fundamentals are still there, including choosing the right tools for secure connectivity, such as deciding between a personal VPN vs. business VPN. Whether you're half way around the world or 10 minutes from the office, there are effective ways to connect with your team.
