Normally, you should communicate with your team on a regular basis. One of the hardest things to do when working remotely, especially when you’re not used to it, is the feeling of loneliness and isolation that can take hold of your mind. And this is greatly enhanced by the external need for isolation or voluntary self-isolation, etc.

Since you have the necessity to work in distributed teams virtually, it’s important to preserve warm relations with the team members more than ever.

When and where possible, this communication should be one-to-one and in the format of a video to see people more often in real life. Phone calls, mail, and Slack work for the time being. The team should see their leader regularly, or hear at least, and the leader should see the team in turn.

It rarely happens that neither of the communication ways is effective. There are some gaps in communication with distributed teammates, which affect the working process, create product delays, and result in project success, etc.

If you can’t handle communication issues like that on your own, you are always welcome to consult the leaders or ask for advice from someone more successful, someone you know and may rely on. You don't necessarily have to pay big money for their help. Start small. Ask for friendly business help if you can.

If you need a broader search – create recognition programs alongside engaging the communication leadership. To improve teamwork and communication is possible through how you arrange collaborations, workshops, and meetings or participate in network events wanted, etc.

Your job as a leader is to keep your team connected & agile. Communication tools are an easy way to get all employees involved and get them together in one space. Mail and chats work well over a short distance, but to maintain remote communication control in the long run, it is better to use Slack, Microsoft Teams, Asana, or any other project management solution. By the way, you may initially try some of the communication solutions available for free.

Don’t let micromanagement happen to your team. Get rid of useless procedures. Don’t follow that cliché. Trust your professionals. It is impossible to control every aspect of the work of a remote team. Don’t try to do this with the team in the office, either. But it is especially meaningless when people work for you from different locations. Instead of measuring what they are doing or the number of hours worked, focus on the results, which is the way to judge the team’s work.

You need to help your team understand who is responsible for what. Communicate realistic expectations of their work out of that. Well, expectation management also applies to you as a leader. Prepare yourself and your team to successfully tackle work tasks by clearly defining those tasks and the reasons for accomplishing them.  

This approach helps the whole team understand how you will measure results.

Clearly define the scope, deadlines, and final results for each task or project that your team is working on. Keep to a plan but don’t forget to vary & change.

During the most turbulent times, even remote businesses may experience pitfalls. Of course, this is not a reason to stop working. But it is pretty reasonable to revise your approach to productivity regularly, improving teamwork.

For many teams, traditional work hours and days are no longer valid. Instead, show more trust in your team and give them the flexibility and freedom to organize their workday to handle their workload and stay positive & productive. 

80 percent of a company’s culture is determined by its core leaders. This is surprisingly true since each of us at least once has thought of how dramatically the leadership model actually reflects what’s going on in the company. Teams tend to reflect everything – their personality, strengths, and weaknesses. Even during remote work, it all takes on. So when you start defining the culture, look at yourself first, at your team – second.

Your good teamwork skills are out of the question. Also, master your ability to manage risks and all your resources, including human resources. Psychology will do, as well as budgeting skills or elementary financial knowledge. That’s also how to run a secure company and so many other aspects.

Pick the perfect tools for your business in your particular case, instead of chasing trends or overpaying for a hype solution, etc. Every employee from any digital career should feel comfortable in the work area you choose.

There is no freedom and independent work without certain self-awareness. Cherish it within your team and grow that of your own to become an excellent example for other teammates.

Time management skills come in handy while working remotely or being self-employed. It’s your productivity key and a good reason for staying positive, healthy & wealthy.

It’s nice to keep track of your progress, measure, and report in order to improve the processes next time. Especially if you work with talents on outsourcing or design outstaffing.