What do you do if your mid-career in IT Operations Management requires leading remote teams?
Finding yourself in the middle of your IT Operations Management career with the responsibility of leading remote teams can be a challenging transition. The shift from traditional office-based team management to overseeing a distributed workforce requires a new set of skills and strategies. Your role as a manager is crucial in ensuring that your team remains productive, connected, and aligned with the organization's goals despite the physical distance. This article aims to guide you through essential practices and considerations to effectively lead your remote IT operations team.
In the realm of remote team management, technology is your greatest ally. Familiarize yourself with various communication tools and platforms that can bridge the gap between team members. Ensure that your team has access to reliable IT infrastructure to facilitate smooth operations. Invest time in learning how to use project management software, which can help keep tasks organized and visible to all team members. Remember, choosing the right technology will significantly enhance collaboration and efficiency within your remote team.
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Falar de gestão de equipes hoje, principalmente do mundo de TI, sem falar em trabalho remoto é uma coisa muito difícil hoje em dia. Parte dessa transformação ocorreu naturalmente justamente devido ao desenvolvimento de diversas ferramentas e plataformas tecnológicas que permitem que os profissionais trabalhem remotamente com poucos (ou praticamente sem) obstáculos. Como gestor, para que voce possa fazer bons trabalhos com suas equipes, é essencial conhecer as maiores/melhores ou mais populares. Dependendo do tipo de profissional de TI e sua função, uns preferem uma ou outra plataforma que apresenta maior funcionalidade para realizar seu trabalho. Conheça essas plataformas, faça testes, entenda do funcionamento e como elas poderão ajudar.
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In my experience using tools like Slack is essential for remote IT Operations teams. It centralises communication, enabling real-time updates and helps foster a sense of community. It supports integration with other platforms, making it a hub for notifications, project updates, and quick queries. Plus its channels and direct messaging simplify organising conversations by topic or project, enhancing clarity and focus. You can also "huddle" allowing for remote video conferencing
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Sonia Cuff
Cloud Advocacy Lead at Microsoft for Modern Infrastructure, Cloud Native & Linux
(edited)Don't expect technology to solve people problems. Communication tools can also make conversations lose nuance, and timing can become an issue in a remote environment. But, having a good mix of synchronous and asynchronous options for communication can be really important. Just not too many options or people lose track of where something was!
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In my experience the most important think is to understand what needs to be done and ensure that the whole team has an understanding of their role. Secondly is to find a rhythm of communication based on the action points and general catch up with the team. The trick is to find a good balance where you are not having too many meetings and not enough meetings. This can be guided by the touch points that one may have with the team. Third is to have sessions that are not work related whereby you can have fun with the team, online quizzes and such to just ensure its not all work and no play.
Clarity is paramount when leading teams that are not physically present. You must articulate clear, measurable goals and objectives for your team to strive towards. This involves breaking down larger projects into manageable tasks with specific timelines and expected outcomes. By setting transparent expectations, you empower your remote team to work independently while ensuring that everyone is moving in the same direction towards the common objectives of your IT operations.
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Break down projects into specific tasks with deadlines and outcomes. This transparency empowers your team to work independently, aligning everyone towards common IT operations objectives, ensuring efficiency and direction. Use daily standup meetings for project goal check ins, keeping everyone up to date and accountable. Also use tools like Jira or Trello for tracking progress. Ensure all team members understand how tasks translate back to project goals
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This will apply at different levels depending on whether you have one team all working on the same project, or a larger team working on multiple projects. Do they all role up to the same goals? Do you have visibility of the milestones., objectives & progress, without that reporting becoming an additional burden for the team?
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Trabalhar remotamente requer, acima de tudo, disciplina. É comum que profissionais trabalhando remotamente se percam em tarefas domesticas ou pessoais no horário de trabalho. É importante que o profissional tenha metas diárias e uma ferramenta que permita o registro das atividades. O gestor precisa ter maneiras de acompanhar e medir a performance de cada colaborador remoto para conseguir avaliar a produtividade, e o colaborador precisa entender que registro de atividades em trabalho remoto não é apenas controle, essa ferramenta pode e deve ser utilizada também para contabilizar esforço e medir entregas feitas pelo trabalho remoto até para justificar caso hajam questionamentos sobre a eficácia do trabalho remoto.
Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful remote team leadership. It's essential to establish regular check-ins and updates to maintain a steady flow of information. Encourage open dialogue and provide various channels for team members to express their thoughts and concerns. This can include video conferencing for face-to-face interaction and instant messaging for quick questions. Maintaining an open line of communication helps build trust and ensures that any issues are addressed promptly.
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My experience clearly shows that tools, methods, and rules for successful communication are merely aids. The central point of efficient and personal communication is the social relationship between the actors (e.g., team members) in a system (e.g., IT Service Management Team). In my team, we have focused on values and norms, thus establishing a healthy foundation of trust and self-responsibility. This requires pulling in the same direction, which is balanced by the values we expect from ourselves as a team.
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Comunicação é a alma do negocio :-) Trabalho presencial requer muita comunicação, e essa necessidade é exponencialmente maior quando o trabalho é remoto. Além da distancia física, a comunicação remota limita toda a expressão corporal fazendo com que a leitura da situação seja mais complexa. É importante uma agenda frequente de comunicação, utilizando tecnologia a nosso favor. Vejo equipes que se reúnem remotamente e sem usar a câmera. É aceitável algumas pessoas não se sentirem a vontade com câmeras em reuniões com toda equipe, mas é importante que haja uma agenda individual com cada membro do time, com câmera aberta, para uma conversa "olho no olho" que vai ajudar mitigar problemas de comunicação e aumentar a proximidade com o time.
Trust is a critical component in remote teams. As a leader, you must trust your team to manage their time and complete tasks without constant oversight. Conversely, your team must trust you to support them and provide the resources they need to succeed. This mutual trust is built over time through consistent actions, reliability, and recognizing the achievements of your team members. Trust fosters a positive remote work culture where everyone feels valued and motivated.
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A supervisão constante, ou micro gerenciamento, é uma pratica que não funciona mais nem para times remotos nem para times presenciais. A gestão moderna entrega hoje muito mais recursos e necessidades que fazem com que os lideres devam sempre buscar a confiança no seu time para que eles possam realizar suas atividades com autonomia. O líder deve confiar na sua equipe, mas a equipe também precisa estar aberta para confiar no seu líder. Muitas vezes em uma troca de gestão essa confiança demora para acontecer, até porque o novo líder chega com ideias, métodos e praticas diferentes, algumas melhores, outras nem tanto, mas a equipe precisa ter esse entendimento e trabalhar na construção da confiança em conjunto. Nada é feito de unilateralmente.
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Focus on outcomes rather than micromanaging every task. Have regular one-on-one meetings to offer support and gather feedback. Share successes and give credit publicly within the team. Implement an open-door policy for concerns and suggestions, even virtually. Encourage team members to take ownership of projects, showing confidence in their abilities. This mutual respect and reliability build a strong foundation of trust, crucial for a thriving remote work environment.
Collaboration can be challenging in a remote setting, but it's not impossible. Create opportunities for team members to work together on projects and initiatives. This could involve pairing team members with complementary skills or setting up virtual brainstorming sessions. Collaboration not only improves the quality of work but also helps in building relationships and a sense of camaraderie among your remote team.
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Use collaborative platforms like shared documents and virtual whiteboards for brainstorming sessions. Organise regular team-building activities that can be done remotely, such as virtual escape rooms or online games, to foster camaraderie. Create cross-functional teams for specific projects to mix skills and perspectives. Encourage the use of team channels for sharing ideas and celebrating wins, creating a supportive environment that values collective effort and innovation.
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The more remote your team, the harder this is. Identify moments where asynchronous collaboration is sufficient (please all comment in this document) and when you do need to be in a discussion at the same time to progress something or debate ideas.
Lastly, recognize the importance of work-life balance for your remote team. Remote work can sometimes blur the lines between professional and personal life, leading to burnout. Encourage your team to establish clear boundaries and take regular breaks to recharge. Respect their time off and avoid sending communications outside of agreed working hours. When your team is well-rested and has time for personal pursuits, they are more likely to be productive and engaged during work hours.
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Todo profissional que começa a trabalhar de forma remota corre o risco de misturar os seus horários de atividades profissionais e pessoais. Me recordo durante a pandemia Covid-19 que fomos obrigados a trabalhar full remote de uma hora para outra. No começo foi um período complexo, muitas vezes almocei respondendo e-mail, fiz apresentações tarde da noite, reuniões intermináveis e pouco produtivas. Com o tempo fomos nos adaptando e aprendendo a trabalhar dessa forma e um dos principais aprendizados foi respeitar os horários, seja para almoço, para começo e fim de expediente, tempo entre uma reunião e outra... isso é essencial e não deve nunca ser subestimado.
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Implement "no-email" or IM on weekends and set "quiet hours" where communications are paused. Promote using status updates in communication tools to signal availability, and encourage regular, scheduled breaks. Offer flexible working hours to accommodate personal commitments, enhancing overall well-being and productivity.
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