WHY REMOTE WORK ISN’T WORKING
WHY REMOTE WORK ISN’T WORKING
How can business owners manage remote teams effectively?
Remote work is effective if it can be done remotely, but it requires the right approach. If you're not willing to embrace new ways of working, measure performance at a high level, have tough conversations, and be open, honest, and transparent with your team, then remote work is not for you. You need to clearly communicate what success looks like, how to get a raise, and what is expected from your team. Give them autonomy to achieve these goals. Be upfront about what success looks like instead of giving vague instructions. If you don’t set clear expectations and provide feedback, remote work will likely fail.
What can business owners do to ensure team transparency?
We need to be radically transparent about what’s working, our goals, everyone else’s goals, how the company is performing, how we make money, and where we spend it. This information should be shared regularly. If we lose someone, explain why. If we hire someone, explain why. Have you ever been in a company where you didn’t know why someone left or was hired, and rumors filled the gap? Instead, communicate openly: “We lost Tom because he took another job. Here’s what happened and what we could have done better. He contributed positively in these areas.” Or, when hiring: “Here are Tom’s credentials, his strengths, his background, and why we’re hiring him now.” Be open and honest, because if you leave gaps in information, people will fill them with assumptions.
How can business owners handle tough conversations effectively?
Tough conversations often arise from a lack of clarity. Are we clear on the objectives? Have we communicated with them effectively? Mastering tough conversations requires the right strategy for each person. If you are non-confrontational but dealing with someone very direct, how do you handle that? Or, if you are direct and working with someone who struggles with that approach, how do you soften your delivery to be more effective? I always told my senior leaders: Do you want to be right, or do you want to be effective?
How can a leader better support employee development to reduce turnover and improve retention?
95% of employees won’t tell you why they’re unhappy or what you’re doing wrong—they’ll just leave. Most people avoid confrontation, especially younger employees who don't want to burn bridges. They won’t say, “Your training program is ineffective, and I didn’t get the support I needed, so I’m leaving.” Instead, they’ll give a vague excuse like finding a better job or having a sick family member. It's not their responsibility to communicate their issues; it’s your responsibility to find out. That’s why I developed the one-question survey.
How can leaders determine the cause of a low-performing employee?
High performance is about a few key things. First, are we taking care of our team’s mental health? Do we genuinely care? Are we finding ways to check in and ensure they’re okay? I use an exercise called "bonding" to check in with people. It helps determine if someone is low-performing because they lack motivation, have a poor attitude, or are dealing with personal issues—like having a parent in hospice. We need to address those personal struggles before we can expect higher performance, like asking them to sell more.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.*
