5 steps to stay humanly connected remote
Every remote team has the same challenges as a co-located team. And most remote teams have some more.
One of the most commonly faced challenge in remote teams is establishing and mantaining a human connection, empathy, and trust. Having these 3 leads to open communication, direct feedback and less miscommunication.
A proper kick-off, a good technical set up, and meeting regularly in person are the healthy base for any remote team. Additionally, integrating small exercises in the daily routines will build on that base and keep the impulses going. Here are 5 quick tweeks you can try today.
- Retrospective Check-in: Perspective Switch
We are so used to seeing the 2D reflection of our collegues from their PC’s camera. But what do they see?
In this check-in, you reverse the point of view. Every participant is invited to take a picture of their working desk and share it with the team. Some people will need a moment to sort out a bit to be comfortable with sharing. Be patient with that. At the end it is about creating a safe space.
2. Retrospective Check-out: Get Personal
In remote teams, you do not casually get the chance to have small talk by proximity. You have to plan for it. That is why, I always leave a couple of minutes in each retrospective to have a check-out that fosters connection. If the retrospective is on a Friday, I ask the question: What are your plans for the weekend? Other questions one can ask: Last movie you watched? What was/is your favorite pet? What tv show are you currently watching? What book are you currently reading? What pushes your buttons?
3. Team Virtual Kitchen
Do you know when you just meet in the kitchen and get talking? Yeah, that does not really happen in a virtual team. Our colleagues felt they did not want to disturb having small talk in our working channels. That is why we created a virtual kitchen where we could hang out. It can be a channel on Slack, Sococo or anything that works for you. Point is to get a chance to share your favorite cat memes or just start a call so you never have to enjoy your coffee alone, unless you want to.
4. Drawing Together
Getting in sync with each other has proven to increase performance be it in a basketball team or a software team. What better way to synchronize than to draw together on a virtual board? The drawing can be project work related. It can be a creative teambuilding exercise. This way, everyone will not only get in sync but also tap into their creative energy and think out of the box.
5. Virtual Lunch
How about a regular virtual lunch? A lunch in which everyone gets food in and eats together. Experiment with the format, you can also have the German coffee and cake in the afternoon. Or tea and cookies. Use different technologies to connect until you find the most comfortable one for you.
Experimenting and trying new things together is another way of staying connected. Always remember, the aim is to value “Individuals and interactions over processes and tools”.
I would love to hear what ways of staying connected you use in your remote teams.
