Meeting managers in person
One of my top tips for managing remote teams: meet in person.
I just got back from our management meeting in Medellin, Colombia, where my team had the opportunity to discuss long term vision, plans and goals for the company, and address pressing challenges. We also had a chance to dance, dine and explore the city together.
Over the past 10 years, we've discovered that face-to-face meetings are essential for building friendship, trust, and collaboration at Blue Coding. Our management team tries to meet in person every 6 months, and we are looking for opportunities to get the whole team together even though we are spread out over 15 countries. *Here is why:*
In remote work, people are often just a name and a photo on a screen. We don't know about them as people, only as co-workers. When we meet in person, we learn about our teammates personalities, joys, fears, quirks, and we start to see them as people we care about and who care about us.
I've seen so many times how meeting face to a face, dinning together, going on hikes, or just exploring a new city, results in conflicts being resolved, enhances empathy, and allows the team to focus on common goals.
In-person meetings have become a key tool for effective remote team management at Blue Coding, and we will continue exploring how to leverage the trust and empathy they generate.
Some pics from our trip here!
