“Becoming more intentional about building rapport and deeper relationships when people are not in front of you takes a bit more thoughtful planning on your part. I’m here to tell you the potential results are worth the effort.”

With the growing acceptance of flexible working outside of the office, leaders have to learn to lead a remote workforce effectively.

As leaders, we traditionally emphasized connecting with teams by walking around or impromptu meetings in the office. These leadership habits work best when you’re co-located and in-person. But how can leaders build rapport and connection when all or part of the team is working remotely and they’re not all together in the office?

In this episode, I share five practical tips to help you connect and build rapport with your remote team. The fundamentals of connecting with people are essentially the same whether you are in person or not.  With a bit more effort and intention you can become better at building rapport and connection and leading others without being face-to-face.

In this episode:

  • #1 Be more deliberate and intentional about making connections
  • #2 Schedule and conduct regular check-ins with your team
  • #3  Note and acknowledge birthdays, special occasions, and other personal milestones
  • #4 Send weekly emails with updates and personal anecdotes
  • #5 Pay attention, authentically notice and acknowledge what others bring to the table
  • And more!

Power Presence Academy: Practical Wisdom for Leaders is the go-to podcast for anyone who leads. Your host is Janet Ioli, leadership and human development expert, sought-after coach and advisor to global executives, and former executive with experience in four Fortune 100 companies. She helps leaders ground themselves with confidence, connection, and purpose and learn to lead with Less Ego, More Soul.

 

Noteworthy Quotes from This Episode

“You’ve got to start seeing the connections you’re making with others just as important as any task on your to-do list.”

“You have all these folks that are working for you on your team. Aren’t you curious about them as human beings and what they’re doing in their lives? How are they going to build rapport and trust with each other?”

“Take time to verbally acknowledge and appreciate the contribution and strengths you notice in people. When you notice somebody do something well, say it in the moment.”

“Create a space where the person feels heard and seen. Authentically noticing and acknowledging what others bring to the table goes a really long way in developing rapport.”

“I think this is a really critical point, you’ve got to care. If you don’t care, none of this is relevant, and it won’t be relevant in person either. Because if you’re going to only care about the to-do list, you’re not going to care as much about building connection and rapport.”

 

Resource Links:

I recommend reading Matthew Lieberman’s book Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired To Connect.

If you want to become more grounded, confident, and aligned with your deeper values in just 21 days. Check out my book Less Ego, More Soul: A Modern Reinvention Guide for Women.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple PodcastsSelect “Listen in Apple Podcasts,” then choose the “Ratings & Reviews” tab to share what you think.  

 

Connect with Janet Ioli:

Linkedin: Janet Ioli

Instagram: @janetioli

Website: janetioli.com

Janet is the founder of Power Presence Academy.  She helps leaders ground themselves with confidence, connection, and purpose and lead with Less Ego, More Soul.