How to Train and Coach Your Team Remotely
The need to adhere to social and physical distancing for personal and public health safety makes one-on-one training or coaching of individuals and teams impossible.
Some companies are using VR (virtual reality) training to overcome the hurdle of proximity. On-line, virtual reality learning and training has some of the following benefits:
It appeals to a variety of individual learning styles;
It offers experiences to promote repetition and retention
It eliminates health and safety risk concerns
It reduces time and travel constraints and allows for scalability
It could be applied across a variety of industries.
If VR training is not applicable to your business or is not readily available, please find below ten tips on how to effectively and remotely train and coach your team.
Availability: One of the most important things to remember about coaching and communicating remotely is to make yourself available. Think of how many questions you answer or problems you help solve when employees pop into your office. Be sure to check in regularly and set up recurring calls. Make sure they know you are still around; your “virtual door” remains open; and you welcome their questions, opinions and strategy discussions as much as ever. Remind your team that you are there for them as a coach, troubleshooter and supporter.
Tone of Voice: One of the hazards inherent in online communication is misunderstanding a person’s tone of voice. You say something you meant ironically, but your employee takes it literally. While this situation can seem funny after the fact it often isn’t a laughing matter in a professional setting. So make sure you clarify doubts and that you are all on the same page before you conclude your virtual conversation.
Become Tech-savvy: Ensure your team is well versed in using the technology needed to connect remotely. Tools such as chat, video conferencing and Zoom are great platforms for collaboration and creating that human connection. Check that your team is up to date on the use of these tools and have downloaded all the apps and plug-ins needed to avoid disruptions to your coaching activity. Best practices in the case of technology, is to get started on a platform you use often, and where technical support is readily available. Assume and anticipate that there will be technical glitches. Be prepared, it is part of the “new normal”.
Be intentional: Create a remote workforce atmosphere of engagement and genuine connection. Be intentional in preparing for the remote coaching culture. Establish clear expectations. Make each meeting count with intentional purpose and opportunities to engage and contribute in a variety of ways. Intentionality is an essential practice, particularly when we cannot "see and be with others” in person.
Accountability and learning: One of the core benefits of a coaching model is the emphasis on action steps, followed by holding one another accountable for the actions, and sharing the learning from the actions taken. The virtual environment is more than suitable for accountability and continuous learning.
Empowering versus micromanaging: Every individual works and learns at her own pace. Furthermore, what can be easily resolved when working together in the office might be more difficult when communicating remotely. Be respectful, show restraint and do not micromanage. Encourage your employees to update you regularly and to reach out when they feel the need for your guidance.
Stay focused on goals, not activity: When leading and coaching teams remotely it is recommended that you focus on the goals you previously agreed to. Don't worry about what is being done at a given point in time. Be mindful that each member of your team has to manage multiple expectations and that working from home creates extraordinary distractions throughout the day. Focus therefore about what is being achieved. It is all about accomplishment, not activity.
Mission, values and outcome: When working remotely, employees miss out the regular office-human interaction. Support your team to remain aligned with the overall mission, the values that truly matter and the outcomes that are really important. This will help everyone remain motivated, creative and productive.
Build trust and intimacy: Team development and coaching improves team’s effectiveness and collaboration. It is about the relationship that is being created and nurtured. High performing teams understand that it is critical to create a deeper level of trust, honesty and connection. Focus on building trust and intimacy during your virtual sessions.
Positive reinforcement, offering praise: It is easy to let employees know they are appreciated in a regular office environment. Working remotely, it is easier to forget how much a “thumbs up”, a “hand shake” or a “high five” mean to our team members. These gestures can go a long way in alleviating the extraordinary stress we are all experiencing. Make it a priority during your virtual sessions to offer positive reinforcement and public praise.
For further references on virtual reality learning and how to coach teams working remotely please consult the following references below:
https://trainingindustry.com/articles/sales/how-to-coach-your-team-remotely/
https://www.hci.org/blog/coaching-and-engaging-your-remote-employees-online
https://teamcoachinginternational.com/six-challenges-coaching-virtual-teams/
https://blog.insideoutdev.com/4-tips-for-coaching-remote-employees
https://virtualspeech.com/blog/how-virtual-reality-can-improve-online-learning
https://virtualspeech.com/blog/how-virtual-reality-can-improve-online-learning