Remote Team Competency Development

Instead of mandating an RTO, ask yourself: “How can I equip my team to work together effectively - no matter where they are today?” Because here’s what the data actually shows: ➡️ Office mandates ≠ office attendance Despite big headlines from Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, and others, in-office attendance has barely budged… up only 2% ➡️ Hybrid is still the norm 67% of U.S. companies offer location flexibility ➡️ Most enterprise teams are already distributed Microsoft went from 61% co-located teams pre-pandemic to just 27% by 2023 ➡️ Cross-functional = cross-location Enterprise project teams are rarely co-located anymore - and need a new playbook to succeed. ⚠️ Yet only 23% of companies have provided training on how to lead and collaborate effectively in hybrid, remote, and distributed environments It’s time to build a new leadership muscle. Omnimodal Leadership - the ability to lead with equal impact in: ✅ Fully in-person settings ✅ Hybrid setups (in-location majority or minority) ✅ Fully remote teams And switch between modes - sometimes even in the same day. How do you build these skills? Over the past 6+ years we’ve helped thousands of leaders build measurable results by teaching how to: ✨ Co-create team working agreements ✨ Set clarity around time zones and responsiveness ✨ Use async tools intentionally to reduce meeting overwhelm ✨ Coach and mentor direct reports at a distance ✨ Mitigate Distance + Recency Bias ✨ Build connection and trust remotely ✨ Grow influence and exposure - without a desk at HQ This takes more than theory. It requires repeatable, proven techniques. 📖 Full article from Inc. Magazine: https://lnkd.in/eKv-P528 📊 Want credible data? Follow: Flex Index, Brian Elliott, Nick Bloom, Global Workplace Analytics

After 10+ years of building fully remote teams across Europe, I realised something important: Technical skills tell you what a person can do. Remote-readiness tells you whether they can actually thrive in a distributed environment. And these two things are not the same. Here is the framework I use with every engineer we screen - regardless of seniority, tech stack or industry. 1️⃣ Ownership Remote work collapses if people wait to be told what to do. You need someone who naturally moves projects forward. 2️⃣ Written communication Most remote collaboration is written. If someone can’t explain their thinking clearly, the team slows down. 3️⃣ Asynchronous discipline People who can’t manage their time, or need constant supervision, struggle in remote-first setups. 4️⃣ Decision autonomy Remote teams rely on engineers who can unblock themselves without three meetings and five approvals. 5️⃣ Emotional maturity This one is overlooked. Remote work exposes how you handle uncertainty, feedback, silence, conflict and self-management. These traits matter more than people think. A brilliant engineer without remote readiness becomes a bottleneck. A strong remote-ready engineer becomes a multiplier. This is why our process works so well we match not just skills, but the ability to thrive in the environment founders actually offer. If you want to strengthen your remote hiring in 2026, this framework is a great place to start.

Leaders say remote work doesn't work. Really? I’ve led remote teams at Microsoft for 20+ years. Only one year was local. We worked with the best talent—wherever they were. So, when people tell me “remote teams don’t work,” I smile. They’re missing the skills and practices that make them work. That's why I documented the 7 habits that helped Microsoft teams outperform co-located ones. Early on, I had to learn: Create clarity so everyone knows the “why” and the “win.” Generate energy to keep momentum without meetings. Deliver results — outcomes over activity. Get the right people doing the right work. Build feedback loops so learning never stalls. Pair people up — nobody should feel stuck or alone. Experiment, test, and validate value early. Master asynchronous collaboration. Empower others so they bring their best selves to the mission. Remote teams don’t fail because of distance. They fail because leaders haven’t mastered the disciplines that make any high-performance team bring out their best from wherever they are. Ready to make your remote team outperform co-located ones? Start with Monday Vision. Follow J.D. Meier for proven practices in high performance, leadership, and innovation.

Early-career workers in remote roles pay a price. It’s a visibility problem, not a talent one. Many young professionals want remote work, but remote roles come with hidden challenges. Yet, too few are taught how to navigate them. A client recently learned that she hadn't made the list to be considered for a promotion. When she asked why, she was told, "The team needs someone local, who can work hybrid. We didn't think you'd consider a move." She would have been excited to move. I’m seeing the same patterns across the young remote workers I coach: ❌ Minimal support ➙ No quick questions, no informal coaching ❌ Less grace for mistakes ➙ It's assumed "remote" is the problem ❌ Delayed information ➙ Blindsided by decisions made in closed rooms ❌ Career stagnation ➙ No clear path to advancement The good news? You can address these challenges with smart, intentional strategies. I led a team of remote 20-somethings years before remote work was mainstream. They went on to build amazing careers. Here are 6 strategies I shared with them that still hold true today: 1️⃣ Make Informal Connections ➙ Reach out with “check-ins” that aren’t tied to a task ➙ Join optional chats, virtual coffees & interest groups ➙ Share wins & insights to stay top of mind 2️⃣ Identify "Go-to" People ➙ Map who owns knowledge and decisions across teams ➙ Build rapport with 1–2 people in your key work functions ➙ Notice who others consult when problems arise 3️⃣ Find a Mentor ➙ Look for someone whose path/role you aspire to ➙ Ask for a recurring 20-30 minute chat every 6-8 weeks ➙ Share your goals so they can advocate for you 4️⃣ Learn Where You Sit ➙ Understand your team’s goals, priorities, and stressors ➙ Identify adjacent teams you impact (or depend on) ➙ Watch how decisions move through your organization 5️⃣ Ask for Timely Feedback ➙ Solicit what you should keep doing and what to stop ➙ Get expectations on your work to avoid surprises ➙ Share wins/misses monthly to show growth & initiative 6️⃣ Build Political Savvy ➙ Learn formal and informal power structures ➙ Ask questions to understand decision-making ➙ Volunteer for cross-functional opportunities Bottom line: If you are remote and want to get ahead: ✅Make yourself and your work visible ✅Build meaningful relationships and advocates ✅Be sure your commitment and goals are clear 🎉You've got this and I've got you!🎉 🔖 Save this so you'll have it when you need it ♻️ Share to help people navigating remote work early in their career 🔔 Follow Sarah Baker Andrus for more career strategies

The rise of remote work has brought new challenges and opportunities for both employers and employees. As leaders, supporting the career growth of remote direct reports requires a thoughtful and proactive approach.  Nurturing their professional development not only benefits individual team members but also strengthens the overall success of the organization. In this article, we'll explore effective strategies to show support for your remote direct reports' career growth and empower them to reach their fullest potential. 1. Regular One-on-One Check-Ins: Consistent and meaningful communication is the foundation of support in a remote work setting. Schedule regular one-on-one check-ins with your direct reports to discuss their career goals, challenges, and aspirations. 2. Encourage Skill Development: Remote work offers the flexibility to engage in skill development without the constraints of traditional office hours. Encourage your direct reports to explore online courses, workshops, and webinars that align with their career interests. 3. Set Clear Performance Expectations: Clarity in performance expectations is crucial for remote teams. Clearly define performance goals and expectations, linking them to individual career growth objectives. Provide ongoing feedback and recognition for their achievements, highlighting their progress towards their career goals. 4. Mentorship and Cross-Functional Opportunities: Facilitate mentorship opportunities within the organization. Pairing remote direct reports with experienced mentors allows them to gain valuable insights and guidance in their career paths. Additionally, consider offering cross-functional opportunities that expose them to different aspects of the business. 5. Support Work-Life Balance: Remote work blurs the lines between personal and professional life. Encourage a healthy work-life balance by promoting flexible work hours and respecting boundaries. A balanced lifestyle fosters employee well-being and enables them to approach their career growth with renewed energy and focus. 6. Advocate for Growth Opportunities: As a leader, advocate for your direct reports' career growth within the organization. Support their aspirations by nominating them for projects, initiatives, or promotions that align with their goals. Champion their accomplishments and contributions during team meetings or organizational updates, showcasing their value to the broader team. By engaging in regular one-on-one check-ins, encouraging skill development, setting clear performance expectations, providing mentorship and cross-functional opportunities, supporting work-life balance, and advocating for growth opportunities, leaders can show genuine support and foster a thriving remote team. #inclusiveleadership #bestweekever

94% of employees say they would stay at a company longer if it invested in their learning and development. Here are 5 lessons for building effective L&D systems for remote teams: 1️⃣ Put people first: It's easy to prioritize processes over people. But success in remote work hinges on ensuring your team feels supported, valued, and engaged. 2️⃣ Prioritize feedback loops: Feedback is crucial. Create an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing input regularly. This day-to-day reinforcement drives continuous improvement. 3️⃣ Use offsites strategically: At Coinbase, offsites include action-oriented workshops tailored to team needs. The goal? Ensure employees can apply what they learn immediately. 4️⃣ Personalize learning: Go beyond generic training. Tailor experiences to meet individual needs, making learning more relevant and impactful. 5️⃣ Track and iterate: Gather feedback through surveys to assess the impact of your L&D initiatives. Keep refining your approach based on the insights you gather. It’s not about forcing traditional methods into remote settings—it’s about building something new, people-focused, and accessible, no matter where your team is located.

Undoubtedly, leading remote or hybrid teams presents unique challenges and opportunities. From my experience as a CEO, our executive team has identified four essential skills that have set our team members up for success: ◾ Communication Mastery: Clear and concise communication is paramount. It’s about sharing information and ensuring it resonates with your team, regardless of location. ◾ Empathy: Understanding team members’ individual challenges and needs fosters trust and collaboration. Empathetic leaders create an environment where everyone feels valued. ◾ Adaptability: The remote landscape is ever-evolving. Leaders must be flexible, adapting strategies and tools to meet the changing dynamics of their teams. ◾ Embracing Technology: Leveraging the right technology to streamline operations and maintain engagement is crucial. Leaders need to be comfortable with digital tools that facilitate seamless interactions. Focusing on these areas, our leaders have created a thriving, motivated and united hybrid workforce, even when apart.

87% of Remote Employees Are Losing Leadership Skills The fix? Just 12 words. Remote work gave us freedom. But it quietly robbed us of something priceless: The ability to grow as leaders. Here’s why it’s happening (and how to stop it): No hallway moments, no growth moments In the office, leadership happened by accident, mentoring a junior, leading a meeting, solving chaos. Remote? You have to fight for those moments. Fix: Create intentional leadership roles, delegate decisions, assign leads. Out of sight, out of promotion You might be working hard, but if no one sees it, it doesn’t count. Fix: Leaders must spotlight remote wins during meetings and reviews. No role models to emulate You can’t overhear how leaders negotiate, coach, or handle pressure anymore. Fix: Mentorship and leadership shadowing need to go digital. Weakened trust and influence Leadership isn’t just results, it’s presence. Virtual environments dull this. Fix: Build influence intentionally: 1:1s, virtual coffee chats, visible collaboration. Only output is measured, not leadership traits You’re rewarded for checking boxes, not for inspiring others. Fix: Track and recognize soft skills, initiative, mentoring, communication. No crisis? No growth Leadership is forged under pressure. But remote often shields us from the fire. Fix: Simulate leadership scenarios. Let people lead workshops or solve real issues. Want to develop remote leadership? Say these 12 words: "I want to lead this. How can I take ownership today?" That’s the sentence that changes everything. Remote work doesn’t kill leadership, passivity does. Let’s fix the system. Let’s build bold, visible, remote-first leaders. What’s your company or remote team doing to build tomorrow’s leaders? 👇 Feel free to disagree or agree with me on this topic! Let me see your take, I want to learn from you. Drop your views in the comments! ♻️ Repost to remind all about the value of Intentional Leadership. ➕ Samson Akinola for more insights on Leadership, Listening, and Lateral-Thinking. "The 3 Ls"

It’s easy to think of employee development as something you “add later.” But in remote teams, it’s often the difference between someone staying engaged… or quietly checking out. When U.S. companies hire in LATAM, the gap I see most often isn’t skill or motivation. It’s clarity. Without a clear development plan: growth feels random learning stays theoretical strong people struggle to see a future here With one, something changes. People understand: what skills actually matter how their work connects to company goals what progress looks like beyond just “doing the job” That’s when remote hires stop feeling like extra capacity and start acting like long-term owners. This framework works especially well for distributed teams because it forces alignment early, on expectations, growth, and outcomes — not just good intentions. If you’re hiring or scaling a LATAM team and want to make development practical (not another doc no one opens), I’m happy to share what’s worked across different teams. A short conversation can save a lot of guesswork. #LATAMtalent #RemoteHiring #EmployeeDevelopment #Leadership #RemoteTeams