Having a virtual company seems to be the newest trend. Basecamp does it. Buffer does it. In fact, flexjobs just posted a list of 25 virtual companies.
We do it at Arment Dietrich and at Spin Sucks.
At first, it was to build our cash reserves. Then we realized productivity and overall well-being increased significantly. We never went back to the brick and mortar. That was nearly three years ago.
The biggest question I get from clients, prospects, and peers is, “But how do you lead a team you don’t see?”
Here’s a little known secret: It’s actually easier to lead a virtual team than it is a physical one.
Run a Virtual Company
Here are seven tips to make it work.
- Skype, Google Hangouts, or FaceTime. All of our meetings are done through video conferencing. I recently “met” Eleanor Pierce for the first time in person. But it wasn’t like we were just meeting. We’ve worked together for two months. I see her face once a week in our staff meeting. I know her strengths and her weaknesses. I know what motivates her. It’s easily done through the video technology we have available today.
- Schedule weekly meetings. I meet with my direct reports twice every week (Monday and Wednesday mornings) and I meet with the entire team once a week (Tuesday mornings). Unless I’m on the road and it can’t be helped, I never miss those meetings. When we were together in an office, it was easier to miss or cancel those weekly meetings because I saw and talked to my team constantly.
- Set goals. When new people start, they always have about 30 days of bewilderment while they try to figure out if no one really cares that they took a two hour lunch because they’ve started work at 5 a.m. all week. Everyone has very specific goals. We track against those instead of number of hours worked. Here’s another little known secret: When people work from home against goals, they actually work more and are more productive.
- Offer extraordinary benefits. I’m not talking about better health insurance or more against their retirement savings. I’m talking about unlimited paid time off and four day workweeks (which we’re trying this summer). You’ll find you have to force people to take time off, both when they’re sick and for vacation.
- Track time and projects. We use the online time tracker through QuickBooks for time entry and Asana for project management. Both allow me, at a snapshot, to see how people are spending their time, where we are at capacity, when it’s time to hire, and who is meeting – or exceeding – their goals.
- Talk weekly about goals. We don’t wait until the annual review to see if people met their goals. We talk weekly about where we are and what still needs to be accomplished. A couple of weeks ago, I shared the one-page quarterly plan we work against. I have that printed out and keep it on my desk. During my meetings with my direct reports, I go through that plan and we discuss what’s been accomplished, where there are challenges, and what our opportunities are for success.
- Run meetings with transparency. I begin every staff meeting with, “How was your week?” That gives everyone the opportunity to talk about what went well and where there are challenges. Sometimes there are client concerns and other times it’s about the technology we’re using. It allows me to keep a strong pulse on what’s really going on…even from 2,000 miles away.
Sure, there are challenges to running a virtual company, just like there are challenges to having everyone in one space.
For me, the pros far outweigh the cons.
A modified version of this first appeared on Spin Sucks.
About Gini Dietrich
Gini Dietrich is the founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich, an integrated marketing communications firm. She is the author of Spin Sucks, co-author of Marketing in the Round, and co-host of Inside PR. She also is the lead blogger at Spin Sucks and is the founder of Spin Sucks Pro.
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