3 Steps in Overcoming the Challenges of Managing Virtual Teams

We had the pleasure of having Matthew Barby, Global Head of Growth & SEO at Hubspot, on the Virtual Success Podcast where he talked at length about how he leverages virtual teams to drive large content & growth strategies. He also delved into how he manages to avoid the common challenges of virtual teams that can create chaos instead of flow.

We asked Matthew Barby his 3 key steps for anybody starting virtual teams for the first time:

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1. Start Off Small

Success with managing virtual teams comes from tackling one task or issue at a time and doing it really well instead of trying to solve all of your problems immediately.

As business owners, we all know the feeling of trying to take on too much at once and striving to get those things done right away. While sometimes we pull it off with the results we want, most of the time we find ourselves too overwhelmed and stretched beyond our limits. This is going to be counterproductive for you and your business in the long run.

The same thing applies to virtual team management. If you had a problem before you started working with a virtual assistant, that problem will persist if you try and overload your team with things to do. Just get them focus on one thing at a time.

Start small!

First, simplify your processes and prove that they work well when delegated to your virtual team and then work your way up from there. Build out more rigid processes slowly but surely for working with people and actually getting some results.

You can start using virtual teams to scale up your processes. Have your virtual teams help out with your own individual projects first and then grow out your lists of projects once you have a core, kind of an engine working in the middle of it all. 

If you start small like this and build up, you will really ‘get’ how to start building a virtual team and, more importantly, how to overcome the challenges of virtual teams.

2. Have Strong Selection Criteria

One of the most common challenges of virtual teams is when you have people in your team who do not quite fulfill the role you envisioned them in. To make it easier for yourself, make sure that you are sourcing and selecting people that are a right fit for you personally as much as the task you are delegating.

When your virtual team members are passionate about the things they do and believe in what you are trying to achieve in your business, you’ll know that they are motivated to go above and beyond for you.

When you’re building your virtual team at the start, choosing people can sometimes be a bit of a painful process but it’s well worth spending that time to get the right candidates in. Spending the time training your team and working with them closely so you can spot potential holes in your processes is key. If you do this then not only are they going to do a better job for you but you’re actually going to build longer lasting relationships with these people because you’re not just engaging with them on a transactional level, they will also come to you with ideas in no time.

You need to devote at least a month of solid, intensive time with your virtual team to build out a solid understanding of expectations, until they get to the point where they are proficient in delivering what you want to do. And even then, they may still need some check-ins and guidance here and there.

And remember — cheapest isn’t always best! Working with people based on the cheapest possible price won’t guarantee you success in pursuing your goals.

Really focusing on this step makes managing a virtual team much easier and less stressful in the long run. Finding the right types of people and working with multiple people could also really help you with what you’re trying to achieve and in overcoming the challenges of managing remote teams.

For more of Matthew's tips and insights on how to approach the task of building specialist virtual teams within your business and how to leverage these teams to their greatest potential, listen to this episode of the Virtual Success Show Podcast.

Also Available on The Virtual Hub YouTube Channel. Subscribe Now!

3. "Treat People Like People"

A lot of people have a bad perception of the effectiveness of virtual teams because they don’t really understand their value. Nine times out of ten, it’s actually you that’s the problem and not your remote team member!

You often find that one person will excel to success with the same VA that someone else discarded and labeled as useless.

The root cause of why most virtual teams go wrong is because people don’t feel heard, appreciated, or respected. This is another important thing to address when tackling the challenges of virtual teams.

These people are starting a task from scratch. They’re working with you when they’ve never worked with you before.

This is a new employee and a part of your business. Treat them with respect, keep them motivated, and be realistic. It is likely you yourself were not able to solve the problem in a day so why should you expect your virtual team to be able to solve it in a day?

The problem is that people try to work with virtual teams in a way that they would with a digital agency or consultant. They expect to just send something over and it will get done for them. But really they are bringing a new employee into their business, even if it is a contracted VA.

If you hired someone, on the first day of them coming into your business, you wouldn’t be saying to them, “Right, where are we at? What targets have you hit? How are you going to do this by the next week that we’ve already started working. I’ve started paying you so I want to see results.”

The thing that you need to be thinking about here is to always treat people as your employees. Managing remote teams is exactly the same as managing employees in your business. People don’t just get told something once and then that’s ingrained into their memory and then all of a sudden they’re superstars at whatever you just told them. You need to train people. These are human beings. If someone’s motivated and they actually want to listen to what you say then they’ll come back to you, they’ll learn, they’ll ask questions.

How To Manage Expectations When Working With a Remote Team

Working with a remote team can be a great way to get things done, but it can also be challenging. One of the biggest challenges is managing expectations. When you're not in a constant face to face communication with your team, it can be easy for things to get lost in translation. That's why it's important to have clear and concise communication when working with a remote team. Here are a few tips for managing expectations when working with a remote team:

1. Be clear about what you expect from your entire team. If you're not clear about what you want, it's unlikely that your team will be able to deliver.

2. Be realistic about what your team can achieve. It's important to set realistic goals and expectations for your team. If you set unrealistic goals, it will only lead to frustration and disappointment.

3. Communicate frequently with your team. Set up regular check-in sessions so that everyone is up to date on the project's progress. Keeping the lines of communication open is crucial when working with a remote team. Make sure to check in often and give your team updates on what's going on.

4. Use project management software to keep track of deadlines and tasks. This will help everyone stay organized and on track.

Strategies for Building Trust With a Remote Team

Working with a remote team can be a great way to get things done, but it can also be challenging. One of the most important things is to build trust with your team members. Here are a few strategies that can help:

1. Be clear and concise in your communication. When you're working remotely, it's important to make sure that everyone is on the same page. Be clear about what you expect from your team, and make sure that your instructions are easy to understand.

2. Be available and responsive. When your team members need you, make sure that you're available to help. If you're not able to respond immediately, let them know when they can expect a response from you. Poor communication can quickly lead to mistrust.

3. Follow through on your promises. If you say you're going to do something, make sure that you follow through. This will help build trust with your team members.

4. Be transparent. When you're working remotely, it's important to be transparent about what's going on. Keep your team updated on the project's progress and let them know if there are any changes. Using project management tools can help keep everyone updated.

5. Build rapport with your team members. Get to know your team members and build relationships with them. This will help create a sense of trust and camaraderie.

Now you are ready to overcome the challenges in managing virtual teams!

These are the best tips on leading remote staff and overcoming the challenges of virtual teams so you actually get all of the advantages of virtual teams and less of the stress.

There is a success strategy for virtual teams that is the same for any business in any industry.

Don’t reinvent the wheel. Just follow the same strategy that those who have achieved success before you have followed.

If you're looking to learn more about virtual teams and virtual assistants in general, you can read our Ultimate Guide to Virtual Assistants where we lay down everything there is to know about virtual assistants including how you can hire them, the best ways on how you can manage them, and how to overcome all the challenges that you may face when working with them.

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