Posted in Digital, Motivation & inspiration,
David Smith knows a great deal about remote working. As TMA World’s Practice Lead for Digital Fluency, he has led eighteen multilingual European facilitators to deliver sales training to 10,000 Account Managers and 2,500 Business Managers. He has also shared his insights at global conferences on virtual learning.
Today, Smith explores how organisations can coordinate teams across multiple time zones, highlighting the fundamentals of overcoming remote team challenges within what he calls “The Borderless Workplace.” These themes are increasingly relevant to flexible freelancers and remote professionals connected through The Work Crowd, making strong remote team management more essential than ever.
When colleagues do not share the same postcode, empathy can easily fade, creating challenges for team cohesion and collaboration. Smith highlights that remote leaders must actively build understanding and connection across distributed teams, an approach that aligns with the collaborative spirit promoted by platforms like the Work Crowd.
Isolation
Out of sight, out of mind” is a real concern in remote environments. Without shared camaraderie, team members may feel disconnected rather than part of a unified group. Regular, thoughtful communication from leaders, regardless of time zone, helps build stability and a sense of direction, reinforcing consistent remote team leadership across global teams.
Fragmentation
It is easy for team members to become confused about responsibilities, especially without direct supervision. Clear, structured communication and regular reinforcement of tasks are essential. Smith notes that defined workflows are even more critical when teams include freelancers or specialists working in fractional marketing jobs, where clarity ensures alignment and efficiency.
Confusion
Delegation of project roles should be clearly stated to avoid tasks being completed more than once.
Smith sets out six performance goals to adhere by for remote team success.
Co-operation
Whether your team is a close knit group of four or a twenty person army spread across four different continents, without co-operation project aims for success fall short. Enact clear cut delegation of tasks and role expectations for each team member.
Convergence
Convergence is about ensuring the entire team moves in the same direction. Smith emphasises “The Five Ps”: Plans, Purpose, Priorities, Principles, and Performance Indicators, essential components for any project leader. When combined with structured project alignment tools, especially when used by roles such as a freelance event manager, convergence becomes significantly easier to achieve.
Co-ordination
Sure, your team may come from all corners of the world, but to pull them in the right direction, clarity is essential; from work analysis to roles and responsibilities, shares processes, and outlining what needs to be done and who is doing what.
Capability
Delegate projects according to your team members’ strengths. When team leaders exploit what each team members’ strengths are, the result is successful project management.
Communication
This, above any other of the Six Performance Goals, is the key to remote team working. Without communication, the team has no foundation on which to build on. In today’s digital world, there is no excuse to be absent when part of a remote team. Make sure you are engaged!
Collaboration
Fundamental to virtual team morale is adopting a “we over I” mindset. Strong communication and timely responses build trust and support collaboration across borders. These behaviours are especially vital for remote specialists, such as freelance PR jobs, where coordination and teamwork drive project success.
Cultural Intelligence
To build an inclusive remote team where members hail from multiple countries, it is important to recognise national, corporate, and cultural differences that influence business interactions. Knowledge of these little differences will shape the final outcome.
Whilst David Smith believes that building a successful remote team is not simply about adding technology, first and foremost, there needs to be effective team management. However, technology can and does support these efforts.
Looking for expert remote talent to support your next project? Join The Work Crowd to connect with vetted freelance PRs, marketers, fractional CMOs and remote specialists.
By Camille Todaro