Note from Larissa for Donna
With many teams going online, there is a surplus of advice directed at business owners about managing their virtual teams. It can be confusing to understand what advice is usable and what advice is too niche to be relevant. I want to provide business owners with a simple checklist of tools and implementation strategies that are universally applicable.
In the last three years, it has become almost a novelty to find a small business that doesn’t employ at least one online member. In the B2B sector, it’s increasingly convenient to hire employees who don’t need to be relocated. We can hire talent around the world relatively painlessly. But just because we can, doesn’t mean it’s always the most effective decision. Many small business owners employ virtual members without knowing how to effectively utilize them. Anecdotally, I worked for a company for six months as a virtual employee. I was paid weekly but assigned less than an hour of actual work per day. The issue was clear: my employer understood his industry but hadn’t asked himself a few essential questions.
“Do I have a system to keep track of what my team is doing?”
“Do I have the necessary tools to communicate with my team?”
“How do I build a culture of accountability and cooperation?”
If my employer had asked these questions, it would have been easy to see that I wasn’t contributing effectively. Managing a virtual team is a skill that takes practice. For example, a company recently lost a client because an employee inadvertently leaked information to another client. This shows the importance of separating internal communication from communication with clients. To avoid such issues, we need to understand two key concepts: The Tools & The Implementation.
The Tools
- Internal Communication: Instant messaging apps are essential for team communication. Clients shouldn’t be confused by internal questions sent to the team.
- File Sharing: Efficient file sharing is crucial. Using multiple apps increases security risks and reduces efficiency.
- Video Calls: Tools like Zoom are necessary for faster, more focused communication and to maintain human connection.
- Task Management: Platforms like Avana, Mango, Canopy, and ClientHub allow clear task assignments, deadlines, and progress tracking.
Implementation
Having tools isn’t enough; we need a plan to use them. Following the core tenets of Profit First, expensive tools that aren’t used cut into profits. A top-down approach works best: leaders must actively use the tools themselves. For example, if an employee sees that tasks are assigned via email despite paying for Avana premium, they won’t adopt the platform effectively.
Once the foundation is set, maximize tool usage by creating routines that answer these questions daily:
- What has been done, and what still needs to be done?
- What work can go to quality control?
- Who needs more help, and who needs more work?
A daily stand-up can help team members report on these questions. While it may feel like micromanagement at first, it’s often necessary for virtual teams. Humans tend to overlook issues that aren’t immediately visible, and regular communication prevents small problems from growing. For example, Sooter Consulting uses both a daily stand-up and a bi-weekly video call, which greatly reduced stress for Donna after implementation.
Fortunately, many business owners face similar challenges with virtual teams. With the proper tools and routines, issues can be quickly identified and solved, making virtual team management far more effective.