January 2006 Leading People from a Distance

One of the more thorny struggles that more and more managers frequently experience these days is figuring out how to effectively lead people who work remote from them. It is, indeed, a very real and growing issue, and with budget constraints and work loads, it becomes even more of a challenge.

In managing long-distance associates, the challenge is to be there for them, just as you are for the people working right beside you.  It is much harder to see what your remotes are doing or to know how they are truly feeling, so you have to put forth some effort to determine what they most need from you and how you can support them. 

In these distant relationships, one of the things that is an absolute must is to establish as much trust as possible, as quickly as possible. And trust requires contact. Therefore, establishing trust often means an upfront, in-person meeting followed by regular phone calls to talk about the nature of the relationship , not just the work itself.  It means spending time with the individuals (even if it's over the phone) strengthening the relationship and making sure the people feel their voices are being heard. They must know you care about them, as much as you do their business objectives.

By the way, trust also means letting go. You cannot be calling them every fifteen minutes just to ensure they are working.

Effectively leading in a distant reporting relationship is also about continuing to find ways to recognize the remote peoples' accomplishments and encouraging them to stick with the tasks at hand. Some argue about the near impossibility to effectively recognize remote people, because of the perceived needs of time, money or other factors.  But encouraging is always more about genuineness than slickness, and all people, remote or not, get a lift from unexpected things such as personal notes or congratulatory phone calls.  These can be easily done.  As a leader, you just have to pay closer attention, since the accomplishments of the remote person are usually not as easy to spot.

Remember that we choose to follow leaders based on the way they make us feel. Therefore we're more likely to follow people who make us feel strong, powerful, valued, etc. Remote associates are no different. So consider this: to what extent are you concentrating on ensuring that your remote people feel included, supported and part of a team? Are you assuming that they naturally feel connected to you and their other remote peers, or is it possible that they might need a different kind of interaction with you? Have you even talked much about this with them?

Dealing with the issue of remote reports always poses an interesting question. That question is, how do you define remote, or distant? Does it only refer to geographical separation? Can an associate be "remote" if she is merely two floors away or simply a few blocks away?

I have come across far too many managers who are co-located with their people and yet there is still great distance. These managers are virtually invisible to their associates. They always seem to be behind closed doors and their calendars are endlessly packed. The managers might as well be a thousand miles away. Might you be guilty of being like this too frequently?

As a leader, you must be accessible to your people, whether they are right down the hall or halfway around the world. You must be there for them! It is my guess that physical distance is more often a convenient excuse for a larger problem - that being the challenge of making appropriate time to spend with all of your people, no matter where they may sit.

In leading remote associates, there are a couple of reminders you might find helpful. First, solid relationships of any kind are based on trust, and trust requires spending time together. If you cannot have formal face-to-face time with your people or, for that matter, just drop in on them occasionally, you will have to have contact with them in other ways. Broadcast emails and conference calls are not going to cut it. But one-to-one calls and emails can go a long way.

Second, an effective relationship with remote people is less a function of quantity of time together, but more about quality. Based on the number of boring meetings that people endlessly complain about having to sit through with their bosses, the large amounts of face time does not necessarily ensure effective leadership. Sometimes there is even an advantage of being far away! Worry less about being able to look your remote people in the eye and concentrate more on making every interaction you have with them more meaningful.

Finally, remember that leading people is hard work, regardless of their locations. You have to pay attention. Some managers are more effective with associates in another country because the distance forces them to more closely concentrate and deliberately work on those relationships. In the meantime, they wrongfully assume that they don't have to work as hard with those people in close proximity and end up taking them for granted.

If you have remotes, start talking with them right now about what they need from you. My guess is you do not need a checklist of a dozen or more "ways to lead remote people more effectively." You need to have the conversation with them, and the best things for you to do will certainly surface.

Reflection Questions: 

• Without getting on an airplane, what are 3 things you can do to continue to build trust and provide a sense of being there to your remote associates?

• What 2 or 3 things would your remote associates say they most need from you - besides more face-to-face time - that would make you a more effective leader for them?