CORPORATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL®
™
Guidelines for Remote Management
Research suggests that 70% of remote working relationships fail due to lack of communication and unclear roles and expectations.1
As such, it is essential for the remote manager to develop clear communication protocols and establish individual goals. At the same
time, a remote manager needs to provide effective project management support and ensure ongoing performance assessment.
Purpose:
This brief provides guidelines for remote managers to fulfill the following five responsibilities toward their direct reports:2,3,4,5

Set the Stage for a Successful Remote Work Relationship—At the beginning of the remote working relationship, the remote manager should
focus on clearly outlining the team goals and understanding employee needs and preferences.

Motivate Team Members and Influence Behavior—The remote manager should continuously ensure positive team/individual morale and inculcate
organizational values and behavior.

Ensure Effective Communication—The remote manager should inculcate e-mailing and videoconferencing etiquettes, and develop a balance
between formal and informal communications.

Provide Project Management Support—The remote manager should review ongoing projects continuously to suggest improvements.

Manage Team Performance—The remote manager should obtain feedback from relevant stakeholders to assess direct report’s performance and
provide developmental support to improve performance.
Audience:
Remote Managers
© 2010 The Corporate Executive Board Company. All Rights Reserved.
CLC5860024077
Page 1 of 4
Guidelines for Remote Management
SET THE STAGE FOR A SUCCESSFUL REMOTE WORK RELATIONSHIP
Duration: First Three Months

Establish Clear Goals and Expectations—Clarify roles and responsibilities and determine concrete goals for all team members.
Given that there are limited opportunities for interaction, clearly communicate expectations and goals in the beginning of the working
relationship. This helps remote employees understand where to focus their efforts and be self-reliant.

Consider Work Styles and Employee Needs When Setting Ground Rules—Partner with direct reports to discuss work styles,
abilities, and preferences, and use these to set ground rules for remote working relationships. Remote managers should build
rapport with each individual in the team, understand their concerns and expectations, and empathize with them.

Meet In-Person at Regular Intervals—Meet direct reports in-person at the beginning of the relationship to get to know them and
understand their working environment. Find additional ways to work in-person (or through videoconferencing, in case remote
location is far) to keep the relationship strong over time.

Set Protocols about Ongoing Contact Frequency and Communication Preferences—Encourage two-way communication
through e-mail, telephone, and video conference. Further, establish the practice of holding monthly and quarterly conference calls
(via videoconferencing and Web casting) to update remote employees on achievements and goals attained by the team.
MOTIVATE TEAM MEMBERS AND INFLUENCE BEHAVIOR
Duration: Throughout the Relationship

Monitor Team Morale—Make efforts to maintain personal contact with every member of the team and promote honesty and
openness. Demonstrate empathy to build rapport with the direct reports and allocate time for discussing their problems.

Demonstrate Ideal Team Behavior and Values—Display desired behaviors in remote working relationships/interactions,
as highlighted below:


Follow through on commitments and keep promises

Demonstrate respect by valuing remote employees’ time and appreciate their ideas and contribution
Be Flexible—Use work processes and protocols as guidelines, without being restrictive. Allow flexibility in timelines when remote
employees are located in geographic location with significant time zone differences.
ENSURE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Duration: Throughout the Relationship

Use a Mix of Structured and Informal Communication Methods—Blend structured communication approaches, such as weekly
“check-ins” through phone or videoconference, with informal, real-time communication methods, such as instant messaging and
e-mail. Structured communications ensure reserved time to discuss ongoing needs of direct reports, such as performance
evaluation or vacation schedules, while informal, real-time communication methods can address immediate needs.

Establish Meeting Schedule Protocols—Establish shared responsibility for open communication and use the following tactics to
ensure successful team meetings:

Establish a “members only” Web page with contact information and time availability of all team members

Send acceptance notifications for scheduled meetings to the organizer within 24 hours

Send meeting agenda and supplementary information along with the notification

Send notification for a meeting at least four days in advance
© 2010 The Corporate Executive Board Company. All Rights Reserved.
CLC5860024077
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Guidelines for Remote Management
ENSURE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION (CONTINUED)
Duration: Throughout the Relationship

Establish and Model Virtual Meeting Etiquette—Provide team members with the following tactics to establish videoconferencing
etiquette:

Adjust tone and pace of speaking to compensate for transmission delays

Limit background noise to minimize interruptions

Maintain appropriate distance from Web cameras to avoid blurry or large images

Set an agenda prior to the meeting

Set aside a few minutes for setting up videoconference and phone equipment
If remote employees face difficulty communicating due to language or technology issues, they should be allowed to send in their
comments immediately after the meeting through e-mail.


Establish E-mail Etiquette—Provide team members with the following tactics to establish e-mailing etiquette:

Acknowledge receipt of messages upon delivery

Avoid usage of sarcasm and jokes

Reply to messages within one business day

Use “out of office messages” to notify colleagues of travel or absences
Handle Conflict Through Verbal Communication—Be direct and communicate verbally when resolving any conflicts. In the
absence of physical cues, remote managers should ask a lot of questions and reiterate their understanding of the conflict.
PROVIDE PROJECT MANAGEMENT SUPPORT
Duration: Throughout the Relationship

Establish Project Guidelines—Set clear guidelines for team members regarding timeframe and quality of work, and encourage
them to show commitment to work. Set deadlines for daily and/or weekly updates from remote workers.

Schedule Recurring Meetings for Project and Process Review—Conduct regular meetings with team members to review
progress on projects and examine existing processes to identify gaps and possible solutions. In addition, arrange frequent
face-to-face team meetings to encourage individuals to share experiences, best practices, and knowledge.

Leverage Technology for Information Sharing—Provide technology and tools to enable team work, as highlighted below:

Use a project management software and a centralized repository, which can be accessed at anytime for sharing project information.

Utilize intranet, video conference, blogs, wikis, community of practice, and informal networks to communicate and share knowledge within the
team.

Use collaboration technologies, such as instant messaging and conference calls (via phone or software allowing voice calls over the Internet) to
enhance day-to-day communication.

Utilize Project Planning Tools to Communicate Daily Work Load—Provide direct reports with project planning tools to ensure
visibility on project milestones, required action steps, and deliverables. This will ensure effective allocation of work among team
members based on their capacity.
© 2010 The Corporate Executive Board Company. All Rights Reserved.
CLC5860024077
Page 3 of 4
Guidelines for Remote Management
MANAGE TEAM PERFORMANCE
Duration: Throughout the Relationship

Share Organizational Knowledge that may Impact Performance and Engagement—Act as a conduit of organizational culture
and knowledge, and share information such as the following to improve direct reports’ performance:

Established processes for completion of work

Examples of exceptional work from other locations

Organizational changes (including formal and informal reporting structures, new leadership priorities)

Organizational policies on employee relations, such as conflicts and codes of conduct
Similarly, remote managers should ensure that good work and best practices from employees at remote locations are captured and
shared across the organization.

Evaluate Performance through Multiple Sources of Feedback—Solicit information about quality of work from internal
stakeholders, team members, and when relevant, external customers. In addition, evaluate remote employees’ performance in real
time by engaging them in brainstorming, problem solving, and joint action planning.

Define and Track Metrics to Ensure Goal Achievement—In a remote working relationship, there are comparatively lesser
opportunities for a manager to check if work is being completed and goals are being achieved. As such, establish clearly-defined
and mutually agreed-upon metrics to measure employee performance.
1
Goodbody, Jenny, "Critical Success Factors for Global Virtual Teams", Strategic Communication Management (February, 2005).
Derven, Marjorie, “The Remote Connection”, HR Magazine (March 2007).
Sun Developer Network, "How Will You Manage? Best Practices for the Remote Manager," http://developers.sun.com/toolkits/articles/manage.html.
4
Learning and Development Roundtable, Checklist for Managing Employees Remotely, Washington, DC: Corporate Executive Board, 2008, p. 2–3.
5
Corporate Leadership Council, Communicating with Desk-Less Employees, Washington, DC: Corporate Executive Board, 2005, p 2-5.
2
3
NOTE TO MEMBERS
This project was researched and written to fulfill the research request of several members of the Corporate Executive Board and as a result may
not satisfy the information needs of all member companies. The Corporate Executive Board encourages members who have additional
questions about this topic to contact their research manager for further discussion. The views expressed herein by third-party sources do not
necessarily reflect the policies of the organizations they represent.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES NOTE
®
®
The Corporate Leadership Council (CLC ) has worked to ensure the accuracy of the information it provides to its members. This project relies
upon data obtained from many sources, however, and the CLC cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information or its analysis in all cases.
Furthermore, the CLC is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. Its projects should not be construed as
professional advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances. Members requiring such services are advised to consult an appropriate
professional. Neither Corporate Executive Board nor its programs are responsible for any claims or losses that may arise from any errors or
omissions in their reports, whether caused by Corporate Executive Board or its sources.
© 2010 The Corporate Executive Board Company. All Rights Reserved.
CLC5860024077
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