Tips and ideas for managing performance in remote working arrangements.

1. Dr Tim Baker
tim@winnersatwork.com.au
www.winnersatwork.com.au
Managing Performance
Remotely

2. Dr. Tim Baker

3. Unit 1—Managing
Performance Remotely
Unit 2—Coaching from a
Distance
Unit 3—Giving Feedback
Remotely
Unit 4—Building
Motivation & Morale
Unit 5—Dealing with
Conflict & Negotiation
Unit 6—Influencing from a
Distance

4. Challenges of
leading remotely
Tips on
managing
performance
Feedback &
check-ins

5. The trend of remote working
isn’t going away

6. Has Everything
Changed?
More the same BUT … the differences matter a lot

7. What are challenges?
• What are “they” doing?
• How are “they” going?
• Not enough communication
• Unclear expectations
• What and How
• Fewer consequences
• Less opportunity to “check-
in”
• (potentially) Less trust
• Faulty assumptions

8. Performance
Consultants Agree
…
Less than 10% of the problems are due to a lack
of capacity of employees …

9. And …
“The fact is the system that
people work in and the
interaction with people may
account for 90 or 95% of
performance.”
W. Edwards Deming

10. So …
“We need to change the system or process since we can’t use
‘Management by Walking Around’ when your team is around the world.”
Kevin Eikenberry

11. What Builds Working
Relationships?
• Mutual understanding
• Frequent interaction
• Evidence of motives
• Evidence of competence

12. Building
Remote
Relationships
• Create clear expectations
• Create interactions
• Make intentions clear
• Build credibility
• Build connection

13. Building Team Relationships
• Create time and space
• Make connections
• Make it an expectation
• Make time when together
• Make for fun

14. What tools of
communication
are you using?

15. Picking your tools
• Meetings and presentations
• IM/Collaboration
• file sharing
• Email
• Your webcam
• Phone

16. Reducing the Remote
Worker’s Worries
• Set expectations for your
team
• Include them more
• Hold “rich” one-on-ones
• Make a schedule and keep it
• Be available other times
• Check in without checking up

17. 1. What are my expectations as the leader?
2. Have I communicated these expectations to my team?
3. Do my team understand my expectations?
4. Do my team members accept my expectations?
5. Are my team members committed to meeting those expectations?
6. Do my team members know how they are performing against those expectations?
7. Am I supporting my team members to achieve those expectations?

18. Resist
micromanaging

19. Resist
micromanagement
• Focus on output
• Set clear goals ask for commitment
• Give people permission to
overcommunicate
• Assign new people a buddy

20. Address
performance
concerns
promptly

21. Look out for
great
performance

22. Key Elements
 Treat people fairly.
 Recognize their positive
contributions.
 Give people clear
direction.
 Support their
development.

23. Showing appreciation for authentic reasons—not as an
ulterior motive to manipulate performance—is undoubtedly
good for business.
• Increased daily attendance
• Decreased tardiness
• Faithful adherence to following policies and
procedures
• Reduced conflict
• Increased appreciation
• More satisfied customers

24. Set clear
objectives
and review
them
regularly

25. Set clear goals
• Discuss priorities
• Explain the ‘why’
• Establish what needs to be done today
• Follow -up

26. Schedule 1-
2-1 time

28. Five Conversations Framework

29. Challenges of
leading remotely
Tips on
managing
performance
Feedback &
check-ins

30. Your homework
Improve your one-on-one communication channels.

31. Unit 1—Managing
Performance Remotely
Unit 2—Coaching from a
Distance
Unit 3—Giving Feedback
Remotely
Unit 4—Building
Motivation & Morale
Unit 5—Dealing with
Conflict & Negotiation
Unit 6—Influencing from a
Distance