80% of communication is face-to-face non-verbal cues. In today’s remote working environment this dynamic is dumped on its head and written emails have taken over. Skype would be ideal but any company I’ve ever worked for doesn’t give video bandwidth as an option. Communication and trust are the key for success in any project. The more remote the team, the more important communication in all forms and modes becomes. Different personalities and cultures require a variety of communication methods and collaboration tools. This requires a variety of approaches by project managers and team members when requesting input on questions, raising issues in a safe environment and setting expectations of each other. When do you pick up the phone versus send a text versus send an email? What tone are you sending? What example are you setting for openness and collaboration? 1. Understand cultural, personality, and time zone differences among team members. 2. Methods to explicitly and proactively request input, suggestions and issues from all team members, during team meetings and one-on-one conversations. 3. Collaboration Tools for communication, task management, file sharing, and team building. Presented by Mindy Bohannon Excella Consulting

1. Winning at
Remote Project Teams
Productivity and Pajamas
Teleworking, Telecommuting
is Remote Work!

2. Intentions
Challenges
Cultural Norms
Personality
Tone
Methods to Gain Trust
Collaboration Tools

3. Challenge
80% of
communication is
non-verbal
How can you trust
someone you can’t
see?
How do you
communicate
with someone many
miles away?

5. Multiculturalism
Understanding and Respecting
differences in our humanity
Gender, class, race, spiritual, age, etc.
Personality
Understanding and Respecting our
cultural differences
Language, cultural traditions
Directness

6. Multiculturalism Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory
Hofstede Country Comparison

7. Multiculturalism Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory
Hofstede Country Comparison

8. Culture
Metaphors Jargon
Go forward up to the
bow, and
yank on the lines to
let the jib out
to heel over.
I’ll stay at the helm
to guide a port tack.

9. Culture
Tone
Use of Emoticons and punctuation
– Use it!

10. Culture
Golden Rule: Be nice, courteous
Love/Hate with Auto-Correct
Spelling and Grammar
=> Eats Shoots and Leaves
=> Eats Shoots, and Leaves
=> Eats, Shoots, and Leaves

11. Remote
Communication
What makes a good remote worker?
Show up on time
Run effective meetings
Accountability set explicitly
Proficient written communication &
Trustworthy

12. Use direct language – not passive
The baby was carried by the kangaroo in her pouch. (passive)
Space for virtual water cooler
-Informal talks, reveal something
personal
The kangaroo carried her baby in her pouch. (active)
Remote
Communication

13. Methods to help Teleworking
Create a Time Zone
chart
www.timeanddate.com/worldclock

14. Methods to help Teleworking
Set expectations of your work style
– Instant Message, Email, Phone
Use code words to protect time
– ex/Tree time
Set boundaries – free/busy calendar
Over communicate – build trust

15. Home Work Setups – setup, music

16. Home Work Setups – ergonomics

17. Home Work Setups - headphones

18. Home Work Setups – air flow

19. Tools

20. Tools – Instant Messenger
Chat/Messenger tool
Gov’t - √ (Yammer X)
Logged on => in the office
Messages
Private, group, or everyone
Power comes from Transparency
use group channel
Notify using @name
#Random channel is fun

21. Tools – IM - Slack

22. Work together like you’re in the
same room
Audio, desktop and video sharing
Gov’t - √ Adobe Connect
Google Hangout, Skype (1);
join.me (10), AnyMeeting (4)
Join early to chat casually or
start with a first 5 minutes (timed)
personal check
Pair up with someone each week to talk
about something fun
Tools – Online Meetings

23. Chat
Headphones with
microphone
Tools – Online Meetings
Live Video

24. Enough with clicking the pen….
Tapping paper next to the speaker…
Soft speakers sit near phone – loud speakers sit farther
away – you know who you are.
Please! say names a lot so we know who is talking
Tools – Conference Call Etiquette

25. Tools – Trello
Project management tool
Gov’t - √
Product roadmap, Editorial
calendar, Sales leads, add
any part of a project that
needs to get done
Post Trello activity and
notifications to Slack

26. Tools – Trello

27. Tools – Document Sharing
Collaborate easier
Transparency to colleagues
Gov’t – √ SharePoint
Google Docs, Hackpad

28. Brainstorm + Whiteboard
Online sticky notes
Connect remote teams
Easily capture ideas, vote
Instant reports
Tools - Brainstorming

29. Tools

30. Tools – Other
CamScanner
Take a picture of printed doc,
sends to PDF and can email
immediately
HelloSign for eSignature
Don’t make people print, scan, email

31. Leave the bed
Change Clothes
Keep regular hours
And finally…

32. Review – Were our Intentions Met?
Cultural Norms
Personality
Tone
Methods to Gain Trust
Collaboration Tools

33. Questions, Discussions
What have you found that
doesn’t work, that hinders
communication and
productivity?
What else have you found
that does work?
Mindy Bohannon | Mindy.Bohannon@excella.com | @mindybo93

34. Zapier, Inc; The Ultimate Guide to Remote Project Work;
zapier.com/
The Hofstede Center; Comparing Countries; geert-hofstede.com/
Escribano, Javier; How we organize our remote team using
Slack, Trello and Google Drive; https://medium.com/@fesja/how-
we-organize-our-remote-team-using-slack-trello-and-google-
drive-70b5a8190ce2#.g0fe0em21
Active/Passive Voice examples:
http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-active-and-
passive-voice.html#WTh572sWpgdtmZOT.99
Stevenson, Herb; The Behavioral Elements of Trust/Distrust;
http://www.herbstevenson.com/articles/behavioral-elements-of-
trust-distrust.php, 2015
References