In the same way that your avatar is not your face, the colleague two desks from you is not quite the same as the team member who’s ten or 500 kilometres away. The same communications tech that makes remote working possible can introduce elements of alienation, or atomization, that can do real harm to team unity and morale.
It’s not an insuperable problem, notes Vern Weitzman, CEO of Cira Apps -- but tech leaders with remote teams really do need to lead by example, and demonstrate every day what it’s all for.
Read Vern Weitzman on building extraordinary value from afar.
“First, demonstrate your passion and commitment to building high-leverage technology that will provide extraordinary value to customers.
In addition to leading by example, make sure remote team members understand their vital role in the mission of the company. People will work harder for a leader whom they believe in.”
For remote workers, the value proposition is obvious - it’s the dream of earning a living in your bathrobe, with no chance of anyone pilfering your yogurt from the communal fridge. For companies and managers, though, as Weitzman notes, the value is harder to capture, and will invariably involve some serious thinking about incentives and role-modelling.