Global teams may all be entirely different in the sense of culture, workflow and service, but they surely have one thing in common: a set of great leaders that make functionality possible in a fast-paced, innovative and international environment. We have seen countless success stories and falls too, and created a list of management actions that made it possible for well-functioning global teams to strive. Let’s dive in!

Have a clear vision

While there probably was a clear mission before, expansion and the transition to remote working can change that fundamentally. Try to re-evaluate everything you wish to reach, stand for and achieve in a given time frame so that goals are clear and visible to every employee.

Create clarified roles

Roles and responsibilities will most likely need another round of thought as well. New teams and new work settings will create tasks that didn’t exist before, and employees will eventually get tired if they have to work extra hours on tasks that originally weren’t in their job descriptions.

Set up a new workflow

Try to think ahead of time, and establish a working schedule and workflow before you actually have to use it. Practice makes perfect, but it helps tremendously not to transition into an entirely unfamiliar environment, with unclear expectations.

You might need new progress metrics

How you tracked and evaluated performance and progress will most likely cause inefficiency in a global remote setting- try to think out of the box, have faith in your team and design a system that enables them to excel. Reward them for their collaboration and hard work.

Leverage technology

Remote is simply not functioning without the use of current technology. The longer you evade innovation, the harder it is to implement it later. Virtual teams’ success can be dependent on the kind of system they use for work, so give it extra thought while designing your settings.

Be proactive

According to one of Deloitte’s studies, virtual distance can lower your team member’s trust by 83%, ability to innovate by 93%, and engagement by 80%. To counter this distance, you need to make yourself available, reach out to your colleagues frequently, and communicate your needs and current tasks. Take advantage of the control over the choice of communication distance provides you with, and seek engagement and participation.

Build a healthy culture

As a leader, never be afraid to connect with your team, and share your thoughts. Create an environment that is safe for everyone to express their feelings in, and make sure your team knows they can find you with their questions and concerns. The culture you create matters in the case of a virtual team too, and determines your success in the long run.

Support individuality

Whether you like it or not, teamwork will slowly but surely decline. Delegating tasks and breaking down long processes into smaller, doable units will make an effective remote team. Build trust within your team, and encourage everyone to proactively take “slices” of tasks they are comfortable doing alone. Make sure they are well rewarded, and the whole team’s efforts will come together by the end.

Ensure well-being

As coffee and elevator chats will no longer be cardinal parts of the day, make sure you always know what’s up with your people. Mental health is important and helping your employees maintain it is one of your main tasks as a leader. Work out a virtual system that makes it possible, and potentially employ an expert as well.