Simplifying remote management.

• Author: Bain, James S.

Managing people and projects from across the hall is tough enough. Managing people and projects from different cities, states, time zones, or countries is infinitely more difficult. You might as well be on different planets. And, as the world economy changes, remore management is becoming more and more common. Whether your organization has a sales force spread around the country, an engineering group located across the state, or projects you might be building across town, the lack of opportunity to "run into" the other members of your team can be devastating to the team's performance. Although a remote workforce certainly has some advantages, its downsides must be recognized and either minimized or avoided completely.

Most organizations and suborganizations strive to deliver something of value to external customers, internal customers, or both. As such, the difficulty of managing people remotely has a direct impact on both the productivity of the workforce and the quality and quantity of the end product or service. In the changing work environment, to operate at peak performance, managers simply must learn how to improve interactions with remote employees.

Motivation and behavior studies during the past five decades have held that motivational triggers exist at differing levels for each individual. The most basic of these needs, such as food, water, and shelter, are satisfied by means of a salary or wage and are not affected by the location of the worker. Mid-level needs, such as the need for relationships, good work conditions, and the feeling of belonging, are simply easier to satisfy when people work in direct contact with each other. In other words, remote employees are much more inclined to be dissatisfied with their work simply because it is more difficult to develop the necessary relationships. Face time is limited. Fortunately, if those management hurdles are cleared, the highest level needs, such as achievement, the work itself, recognition, responsibility, and advancement, are not only possible but also are often enhanced by remote working arrangements.

The key, then, is to take creative measures to ensure that those remote relationships are built and nurtured. Many people have experienced feeling that they think, act, and speak in different languages than their spouse, their children, or their boss. How can managers make sure that they are "on the same planet" as their remote team members?

1. Start by agreeing on the outcomes you...