Makers and founders. How do you keep your remote team motivated?

Mark Pavlyukovskyy
26 replies
No ordering a pizza option here, we work 100% remotely. Any methods?

Replies

Michael Goldstrom
I built GetMotivatedBuddies to address this. We build intrinsic motivation through autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Zoom meetings, goal setting, all of that is useless if it’s purely coming from above - everyone feels like they “should” or “have to” do them. This kills motivation. Reach out if you want to discuss trying GMB with your team.
Roberto Gómez - Scalar.so
Things that work well in remote and foster conversations besides work, like a fantasy football game or a page where everyone can share recommendations from their city so that others can use them when travelling.
David J. Kim
If you haven't already, consider getting your remote team a virtual office to collab & hang out. Like SoWork & Kumospace (both on the opposite sides in terms of design, but still good).
Mark Pavlyukovskyy
@between_team Thanks for sharing! Is it something related to Web3?
David J. Kim
@mark_pavlyukovskyy Not that I know of, no blockchain or crypto.
Varun Varma
I use this free tool called HuddleUp on Slack that has really helped my team stay close and connected. I believe such tools are a great enabler to achieve camaraderie among the team members.
Here is a blog article that you might find helpful :) https://tira.so/blog/building-st...
Shaur ul Asar
To keep a remote team motivated, makers and founders should establish clear goals, foster a sense of community, encourage open communication, provide professional development opportunities, recognize achievements, and be flexible and understanding.
Dipak Sisodiya
We launch on PH and that takes the sleepiness away from everyone!
Anson Leung
I will suggest remote coffee chat. Avoid all kinds of work/project-related topics during that 1-1 chat. You can allocate 15-30 minutes to chat with your remote teammates about anything; sometimes great idea comes with those coffee/ corridor chats. Getting them involved sharing a sense of inclusion is the key.
Mark Pavlyukovskyy
@anson_leung love the inclusion idea, thanks for sharing
anna_ch_anna
Have a one-on-one session on Zoom or Gather about once a month, dedicating half of the time to work-related topics and the other half to personal matters. By building intimacy in this way, individuals can create synergy while working in a non-face-to-face environment.
Mark Pavlyukovskyy
@anna_choi Right, communication is the key, I'll try to spare some time on 1-1 meets
HyunGun Jung
That's the toughest part of being remote. In my personal opinion, the best motivation is centered around "growth," which includes the growth of the product as well as personal growth for each team member.
HyunGun Jung
Besides 'growth' I've tried the following, 1/ Monthly workshops (offline): sharing what we worked on for the month, sharing the best food/menu each had for that month, or anything else the team can relate to... Like pets, traveling, sports... 2/ One-on-one sessions: talking with co-workers individually about anything but work. 3/ Gifts for special occasions: sending small gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, or other small goals accomplished. Still searching for better solutions.
Mark Pavlyukovskyy
Thanks for sharing @jack_jung. Agree with you, this is a hardest part. There's a big difference between motivated team member and unmotivated. The only solutions that worked for me - 1-on-1 sessions, where we can discuss things openly. But it doesn't work for juniors (or any other cases) Will keep in mind monthly workshops, All luck with your team!
Nuno Reis
Celebrating every small win is a must! We have slack channel just for that where everyone can post their wins, and that can be crushing that awful bug, to launching a new feature, to closing 10k in new revenue. Also, talk to people all the time. It takes time from your work and their work, but guess what... it is work. We have to keep people engaged and talk to them, culture building is an important part of a founders work :)
Tobi Agbaje
Host virtual lunch and learns, show off your pets, team games
Twinkle shah
As a maker or founder managing a remote team, it's important to keep your team motivated and engaged. Here are a few tips: https://www.troopmessenger.com/b... Communicate regularly: Regular communication is key to keeping your team motivated. Use tools like Discord screen share, video conferencing, or messaging apps to stay in touch with your team. Schedule regular check-ins to discuss progress, challenges, and feedback. Set clear goals and expectations: Make sure your team understands their role and responsibilities. Set clear goals and expectations so everyone is on the same page. Use tools like Trello or Asana to track progress and share updates. Celebrate successes: When your team achieves a milestone or completes a project, take the time to celebrate their success. This could be as simple as a virtual high five or a more elaborate recognition program. Offer incentives: I ncentives can be a great way to motivate your team. This could be a bonus, a gift card, or some other type of reward for meeting a specific goal or objective. Encourage collaboration: Encourage your team to collaborate and work together on projects. Use tools like Slack or Discord to facilitate communication and teamwork. Remember that everyone is different and what motivates one person may not motivate another. Take the time to get to know your team and what drives them. With the right approach, you can keep your remote team motivated and productive.
Vinay Sharma
This is a really good question and something I feel most founders may struggle with especially if you're building a tech company! One thing we do is regular catchups weekly, which doesn't involve much work talk but more getting to know the team and their interests. The other is helping them with personal or their own side projects... so giving advice and guidance always goes a long way and keeps your team motivated... in my opinion!
Mark Pavlyukovskyy
@vin_creatorstock haven't thought about support for side projects, very much appreciate this!
Kimberley Lattanzio
Matt Mochary, CEO coach to Sam Altman, Naval, Brian Armstrong, Steve Huffman, etc. has some great content on this: https://themanagershandbook.com/... https://docs.google.com/document... From his coachees, e.g. CEOs of Zapier and GitLab:
https://about.gitlab.com/company... https://clearbit.com/blog/gitlab... https://zapier.com/resources/gui.... In case you don't have time to read, here's a couple podcasts you can check out: (44 min): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/po... (10 min): https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/po...