What do you do if your remote team needs better collaboration?
When your remote team struggles with collaboration, it can feel like you're trying to conduct an orchestra with each musician playing from a different score. Effective collaboration is the lifeblood of any remote team, ensuring that projects move forward smoothly, ideas are shared freely, and everyone is pulling in the same direction. If you're noticing that your remote team is not working as cohesively as they could be, it's important to take proactive steps to enhance collaboration.
To improve collaboration in a remote team, start by assessing the current state. Determine the specific challenges your team faces. Are there communication breakdowns, or is it a lack of clear processes? Understanding the root causes of collaboration issues is crucial for addressing them effectively. Engage with your team members to get their perspective on what's working and what isn't. This will help you identify the tools, processes, or changes needed to enhance teamwork.
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Emiliano Dato
Global VP of Operations for Healthcare & Insurance at Softtek
Put him in contact with someone from another team who works remotely and has had good experiences with it. They can advise him on how to handle certain issues because they have already gone through that and achieved the expected results. Also, ask the department responsible for employee experiences to pay special attention to this team until there are clear signs of improvement.
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Veena Srigopal
Ascertain why the collaboration is failing and fix that first. Make the online collaboration interesting & interactive especially important in the absence of physical interaction. Ensure there is bonding by discussing not just work and agenda but a free-flowing conversation session on work, life and anything interesting the team wants to share. We forget that the reason many remote collaborations fail for most part is that people are remote (as in removed behaviorally); no pun intended.
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Hari Suryakanth
Squad Leader - Database Services
Connect them with common value and it's significance to the organisation and customers. Make sure the team understands how each individual's role, impact and how that matters. As we all do conduct, worth spending for at least one team gathering irrespective of which part of the world they are.
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Jorge Leccia
IT Strategist | Enterprise Architect | Pre-Sales Engineer | Workplace Specialist
Before implementing any collaboration strategy, it's crucial to understand the specific challenges your remote team faces. By soliciting feedback from your team members, you can identify the pain points and gaps in your current workflow. This will help you prioritize the most urgent and impactful areas for improvement, such as communication, coordination, or feedback. Assessing your team's needs will also inform your choice of tools and processes that best suit your team's goals and preferences.
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Saurabh Kumar
Software Architect at UST Global
Improving collaboration within remote team is essential for ensuring successful and quality delivery of a project. Different measures can be considered for effective collaboration based on the root causes, identified for collaboration issues within any team. However, some important ones, to my mind, could be as below: Setup Clear Communication channel within team - We need to ensure that the team has one clear channel in place for all team related communications like Teams Channel, Slack Channel, or similar ones. Regular Check-in meetings with team members - to discuss progress, address challenges, provide feedback and ensure alignment on project goals. Encourage transparency and knowledge sharing within team.
Once you've identified the challenges, it's time to set clear expectations for collaboration. Establish guidelines that outline how team members should communicate, share information, and work together on projects. This includes defining the preferred communication channels for different types of interactions, such as video calls for team meetings and instant messaging for quick questions. Clear expectations provide a framework for your team to collaborate more effectively.
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Jorge Leccia
IT Strategist | Enterprise Architect | Pre-Sales Engineer | Workplace Specialist
Remote collaboration requires clear and realistic expectations for your team. Without face-to-face interactions, you might miscommunicate or misjudge each other's intentions, actions, and needs. To avoid this, create a common ground for how you will work together, communicate, and achieve your goals. A collaboration charter can help. It is a document that defines the norms, values, and rules of your team. It helps you align your team members on what is expected of them and how they should interact with each other and with external stakeholders. A collaboration charter will help avoid confusion, frustration, and misunderstandings. It can also foster trust, accountability, and commitment in your team, which are vital for remote collaboration.
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JOSÉ ANTONIO RANGEL ZORRILLA
Executive IT Leader with Proven Expertise in Driving Digital Transformation through Disruptive Innovation and Critical Analysis | SVP IT | CTO | CIO
-Objetivos y Roles Claros: Asegúrate de que cada miembro del equipo conozca sus responsabilidades específicas y cómo contribuyen al éxito general del equipo. Esto incluye tener objetivos claros y medibles que estén alineados con los objetivos más amplios de la organización. -Revisión de Progreso: Implementa revisiones regulares del progreso hacia estos objetivos, lo que puede ayudar a mantener al equipo en la misma página y motivado hacia metas comunes.
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Shashank Sinha
Associate Director at BDO Digital
From my experience, it's good to set clear expectations with the team - about : 1. Primary means/tool of communications. (In an Agile Project, using Teams / Slack may be chosen). 2. Setting up certain regular meetings (Daily standup, Weekly Status, Monthly steerco) helps set expectations to everyone in advance, and people learn to be available for the team. Caution: Keep meetings limited, and Agenda clear.
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Gaylord GIRARD
Responsable/Directeur Service Informatique - Consultant Expert
Définir les attentes est essentiel pour une collaboration efficace au sein d'une équipe à distance. Cela implique de clarifier les rôles et responsabilités de chaque membre, d'établir des objectifs clairs à atteindre, ainsi que de définir des normes de communication et de partage d'information. En fixant ces attentes dès le départ, chaque membre de l'équipe comprendra clairement ce qui est attendu de lui et pourra contribuer de manière efficace à la collaboration globale.
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Dr. Vivek Jadhav
Germany JSV Visa Holder | PhD Doctor | IIMA | CIO | CTO | CDO | CIO Award Winner | Head | Director | VP - IT | Strategy | Automations | Growth | IT Advisory | SAP | S/4 HANA | Oil & GAS | Digital Transformation Expert
Post identifying collaboration key challenges. To take the collaboration improvement process ahead, key factors would be weaker & high-priority challenges Vs key solutioning farmwork. Solution implementations, communication channels like Daily, BI-Weekly or Monthly Meetings along with Video calls to track the progress on achieving expectations.
The right digital tools are essential for remote collaboration. Select tools that facilitate communication, project management, and document sharing. These tools should be user-friendly and accessible to all team members regardless of their location. Ensure that everyone is trained on how to use these tools effectively. Remember, the goal is to make collaboration as seamless as possible, so choose tools that integrate well with each other.
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Jorge Leccia
IT Strategist | Enterprise Architect | Pre-Sales Engineer | Workplace Specialist
Another essential factor for remote collaboration is technology. Remote teams rely on digital tools to facilitate communication, project management, file sharing, and brainstorming. Therefore, it's important to choose tools that are user-friendly, reliable, secure, and integrated. You want to avoid using too many or too few tools that might hinder your team's efficiency and collaboration. You also want to ensure that your team has access to the tools they need, and that they are trained on how to use them effectively.
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JOSÉ ANTONIO RANGEL ZORRILLA
Executive IT Leader with Proven Expertise in Driving Digital Transformation through Disruptive Innovation and Critical Analysis | SVP IT | CTO | CIO
-Optimizar la Tecnología: Asegúrate de que todos en el equipo tengan acceso y estén capacitados en el uso de herramientas de colaboración como Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, o Asana. Estas herramientas facilitan la comunicación y la gestión de proyectos de manera remota. -Integración de Herramientas: Considera la integración de estas plataformas con otras herramientas que ya estés utilizando, como sistemas de gestión de documentos, CRM y herramientas de seguimiento de tiempo, para crear un ecosistema tecnológico cohesivo.
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Dr. Vivek Jadhav
Germany JSV Visa Holder | PhD Doctor | IIMA | CIO | CTO | CDO | CIO Award Winner | Head | Director | VP - IT | Strategy | Automations | Growth | IT Advisory | SAP | S/4 HANA | Oil & GAS | Digital Transformation Expert
Commnication Technology would be key tool for making team collaboration effectively. Daily video calls, Daily meetings, Sharing Project files with Info-Sec protocols has been part of sessional remote collaborations.
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Gaylord GIRARD
Responsable/Directeur Service Informatique - Consultant Expert
Parmi les options disponibles, on trouve des plateformes de messagerie instantanée telles que Slack ou Microsoft Teams, qui permettent des échanges rapides et informels entre les membres de l'équipe. Les outils de visioconférence comme Zoom ou Google Meet sont également indispensables pour les réunions virtuelles, favorisant ainsi un contact visuel et une interaction en temps réel. En outre, les espaces de travail virtuels comme Trello, Notion ou Asana offrent une plateforme centralisée pour la gestion de projet, permettant de suivre les tâches, d'assigner des responsabilités et de collaborer efficacement sur les projets.
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Santiago Alberto Cedillo Lopez
Ingeniero en Sistemas Computacionales
Ayudarse con herramientas que te puedan facilitar las tareas que tengas que cumplir, ya sean programas o aplicaciones conocidas, o en si, crear una que te ayude a llegar mas rápido al objetivo
Creating a culture of collaboration is as important as having the right tools. Encourage an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas and providing feedback. Recognize and reward collaborative efforts to reinforce the value of working together. Regular virtual team-building activities can also help strengthen relationships and improve teamwork. A strong collaborative culture can lead to a more engaged and productive remote team.
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Shashank Sinha
Associate Director at BDO Digital
In my experience, being available to understand and actively address the pains coming from any new process / tool is very important for any sustained change. Hence an open communication to share and receive ideas, feedback is very important. This is where collaboration really comes alive!
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Rafael Torres
Infrastructure Specialist | Senior Network Engineer | Cloud | AWS | Security | Telecom
Fomentar uma cultura de colaboração é tão crucial quanto garantir que tenhamos as ferramentas adequadas. Encorajar um ambiente onde os membros da equipe se sintam à vontade para compartilhar ideias e dar feedback é crucial para o desenvolvimento da equipe. Uma cultura colaborativa sólida pode resultar em uma equipe remota mais envolvida e produtiva.
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Jorge Leccia
IT Strategist | Enterprise Architect | Pre-Sales Engineer | Workplace Specialist
Beyond the technical and procedural aspects, remote collaboration also depends on the human and emotional aspects. Remote teams need to feel connected, supported, and valued, especially in the absence of physical proximity and social interaction. Therefore, it's important to cultivate a positive and inclusive team culture that encourages idea sharing, feedback, recognition, and fun. You can do this by creating opportunities for informal and personal communication, celebrating achievements and milestones, and promoting a growth mindset and a learning culture.
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Thirumala Raya Halemane
REGARDS AND BEST WISHES. AUMMMM... DO WELL, GOOD LUCK, ALL THE BEST, BE BRAVE, BE WISE. TAKE CARE. BEST WISHES. AUMMM.. YES, OUR CHILDREN SUFFERED, WERE TARGETED, YES (our younger son Shilpi is now going forward well in a good solid relationship, so the matrimonial part here is for our elder son Kaviraj) we need everyone's help, support, good wishes, good vibes, blessings, spreading the word etc. our many thanks, regards and best wishes do well. all the best. good luck. be brave. be wise. take care. we hope and pray for the best. best wishes. aummm... thirumala raya halemane . 13 Eagles Pass, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA EMAIL = [email protected] MOBILE = 17329389686 (service disconnected, can no longer use laptop WhatsApp too) or use
Implementing new strategies for collaboration is not a one-time event. Regularly review the effectiveness of the changes you've made. Are the tools and processes you've implemented working? Is the team communicating better? Use feedback from team members to continuously refine your approach. This iterative process ensures that your team's collaboration skills keep improving over time.
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Jorge Leccia
IT Strategist | Enterprise Architect | Pre-Sales Engineer | Workplace Specialist
Remote collaboration is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that requires constant monitoring and evaluation. You need to track your team's progress and performance, and measure the outcomes and impact of your collaboration strategy. You also need to collect and analyze feedback from your team members, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of your approach. Based on the data and insights, you can adjust and optimize your collaboration strategy to ensure that it meets your team's needs and expectations.
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JOSÉ ANTONIO RANGEL ZORRILLA
Executive IT Leader with Proven Expertise in Driving Digital Transformation through Disruptive Innovation and Critical Analysis | SVP IT | CTO | CIO
-Encuestas de Satisfacción: Realiza encuestas periódicas para medir la satisfacción del equipo con las herramientas, procesos y la dinámica de trabajo actual. -Adaptación Flexible: Esté dispuesto a adaptar estrategias y procesos basados en los comentarios del equipo y las evaluaciones de rendimiento para mejorar continuamente la eficacia del trabajo en equipo remoto.
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Thirumala Raya Halemane
or use wife Usha's cell at 16095167057 email = [email protected] YES, OUR CHILDREN SUFFERED, WERE TARGETED, YESAlthough in severe shock and great stress, we have faced the challenges and moved forward crossing the barriers biases impediments etc that came before us, it was tough, not easy, for my wife and sons and the others also I brought up my two sons Kaviraj and Shilpi as future presidents of usa, with that attitude/ outlook/ mindset, supporting and encouraging the leadership nature already in them. They are born in usa, grew up in usa and consider themselves as Americans. The country, the people and the whole world including India where we parents are originally from will need their leadership and contributions to go forward towards
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Montse Blasi Planas
Administrativa en Mondelēz International
La revisión es fundamental para saber si las herramientas funcionan. Porque de esa manera se podrá avanzar en el proyecto. Se podrá hacer la colaboración oportuna al equipo.Ver que le funciona mejor si: la videollamada, la mensajería rápida, etc... Buscando la mejor herramienta se logra un buen resultado.
Lastly, empower your remote team to take ownership of their collaborative efforts. Give them the autonomy to make decisions and solve problems together. When team members feel empowered, they're more likely to take initiative and work cooperatively. Trust in your team's abilities and provide support when needed, but allow them the space to collaborate without micromanagement.
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JOSÉ ANTONIO RANGEL ZORRILLA
Executive IT Leader with Proven Expertise in Driving Digital Transformation through Disruptive Innovation and Critical Analysis | SVP IT | CTO | CIO
Una parte esencial de la mejora de la colaboración en equipos remotos es empoderar a los equipos para que tomen decisiones, gestionen sus propias tareas y se sientan confiados para llevar a cabo sus responsabilidades. 1. Autonomía en la Toma de Decisiones 2. Fomentar la Iniciativa 3. Capacitación y Desarrollo Profesional 4. Comunicación Transparente y Abierta 5. Crear un Entorno de Apoyo 6. Feedback Regular y Constructivo 7. Evaluación y Ajuste Continuo Invertir en el capital humano de tu organización y construir una base sólida para el éxito a largo plazo es primordial.
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Rafael Torres
Infrastructure Specialist | Senior Network Engineer | Cloud | AWS | Security | Telecom
É fundamental reconhecer a importância da capacitação da equipe, especialmente em um ambiente remoto. Ao dar autonomia aos membros da equipe para tomar decisões e resolver problemas em conjunto, estamos promovendo não apenas a colaboração, mas também o desenvolvimento de habilidades de liderança e a construção de confiança.
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Jorge Leccia
IT Strategist | Enterprise Architect | Pre-Sales Engineer | Workplace Specialist
Finally, remote collaboration also requires empowerment. Remote teams need to have the autonomy and flexibility to collaborate effectively, without being micromanaged or restricted by rigid rules. You need to trust your team members to make decisions, take initiative, and solve problems, while providing them with the support and guidance they need. You also need to empower your team members to communicate openly, share their opinions and ideas, and collaborate across boundaries and disciplines.
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Jorge Leccia
IT Strategist | Enterprise Architect | Pre-Sales Engineer | Workplace Specialist
Remote collaboration is not a static or fixed concept, but a dynamic and evolving one. As your team grows and changes, so will your collaboration needs and challenges. Therefore, you need to be open and adaptable to new tools, processes, and feedback that might enhance your teamwork. You also need to be aware of the external and internal factors that might affect your collaboration, such as the organizational culture, the market trends, or the team morale. By staying alert and responsive, you can ensure that your remote collaboration is always effective and relevant.
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Dave Bowden
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) - CISM, CDPSE, CIPT, CIPM, CSM, CWD, CWP | CyberSecurity | Artificial Intelligence | Global Data Privacy | Enterprise IT | Compliance | GRC | Start-Up & Board Advisor | Mentor
To improve collaboration among a remote team, start by identifying the specific challenges they are facing. Encourage open communication through regular check-ins and feedback sessions. Utilize collaboration tools such as video conferencing, project management software, and instant messaging platforms. Foster a culture of trust and transparency by sharing information and updates regularly. Provide training and resources to help team members adapt to remote work and improve their collaboration skills. Encourage team-building activities and social interactions to build stronger relationships among team members. Monitor progress and adjust your approach as needed to ensure your team is working effectively and collaboratively.
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Vikas Gupta
Senior Technology Leader | Speaker | Mentor | CIO | CISO | Digital Transformation |Data Security & Privacy | IT Risk | Strategy | Data Protection|Information Security| IoT | Analytics | (All opinions are my own)
In my opinion there is nothing like "Better Collaboration" Either there is collaboration or there is no collaboration.And if there is collaboration it is intended to serve the purpose for which it is set up. It cant be that tools of collaboration are in place and the users' are struggling to collaborate. Right at the start it starts with the purpose the collaboration is supposed to serve, and then its a process of reverse fitting all that is required to be plugged in to enable it to serve the purpose.If there is a gap it has to be fine tuned right at the beginning or immediately when its realised that setup is not serving purpose. Merely having some tool and doing mix-match to fit to serve purpose will necessarily fail
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Pedro Luis Santana Arellano
Presales Engineer
La constante capacitacion a tu equipo de trabajo lo convertira en mas autonomo y tendras margen de error menor al momento de estar realizando la ejecucion de un proyecto o tarea. Por ende la colaboracion remota sera eficaz.
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