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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWant to be a remote manager? Increase your visibility in the company<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re willing to put in the work and communicate your goals with your higher-ups, you\u2019ll see that those coveted leadership positions are more attainable than people think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Richard White<\/a>, who\u2019s had more than 6 months to adjust to his role as the Team Lead at his current company, it all comes down to making your intentions known:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI would say visibility is the most important. Nobody sees you at your desk, you aren\u2019t having lunch with people or talking to a colleague while making coffee. So, remote workers need to work a little harder to be visible.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n If someone is looking to take on more responsibility, it\u2019s a mixture of demonstrating your skills \u2014 e.g. being proactive, delivering quality work, and <\/em>effective communication<\/em><\/a> \u2014 and being upfront that you want more responsibility.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Effective communication includes not making people guess or assume things.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n In other words, your communication skills<\/a> don\u2019t just come in handy once you step into that managerial role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They\u2019ll help you get that promotion, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 PUMBLE PRO TIP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As a remote manager, you\u2019ll likely face some challenges with getting your remote team to communicate. Here\u2019s a guide that might help:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Improve collaboration and cut down on emails by moving your team communication to Pumble.<\/p>\n\n On the subject of preparing to take on a managerial role, Ivana Fisic<\/a>, the Content Manager for CAKE.com<\/a>, explained how she and some of her peers got ready to take on additional responsibilities within the company:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201dWe had many training sessions and knowledge-sharing sessions with Marija, our Content Director. At that time, Marija was preparing us (the 4 new managers) to be content managers, and, at the same time, we needed to prepare our new editors for their new roles. Moreover, the entire process happened online, because our team works remotely. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Plus, we were hiring new writers, so our new leadership role also involved interviewing candidates, reviewing their assignments, and making decisions about new hires.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Ivana\u2019s experience shows what the process of career advancement might look like when a company goes through a rapid expansion, elevating existing employees as it brings in new hires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fisic even highlighted one particularly challenging aspect of this transition in a remote work environment \u2014 getting to know the people she\u2019ll be managing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019d say that the most challenging part of this transition was getting to know all your team members, both existing and new members of the team \u2014 getting to know their work habits and communication styles.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n When employers put effort into making sure the next generation of managers is ready to step up by providing the necessary training, even these tricky situations can be easy to navigate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 PUMBLE PRO TIP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Learning to understand different communication styles is an important skill to have not only as a remote manager but as an employee, too. Here\u2019s where you can learn more about that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you become responsible for a team of people, you quickly come to realize the importance of clear and empathetic communication<\/a>, as noted by Dunja Jovanovic<\/a>, Content Manager at Pumble<\/a> by CAKE.com:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBeing in a leadership position gives you more responsibility, and the way you communicate should reflect that. I pay much more attention to my communication style and I choose my words more carefully. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I learned that it\u2019s important to find a balance between being an authority and being someone your team can <\/em>ask for help<\/em><\/a> and guidance. The best way to achieve that is to <\/em>communicate assertively<\/em><\/a> and openly, while still being patient and understanding. Listening is really important, too \u2014 being an <\/em>active listener<\/em><\/a> is crucial for being a good communicator.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Richard White was of a similar opinion, highlighting how remote work affects team communication:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think that leadership is largely about how you behave and operate, particularly how you treat and talk to your team. These aspects are not affected by being remote.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n However, being remote does necessitate good communication. Most communication is written, which is a different skill from speaking verbally, so you have to be mindful of whether you\u2019re being clear enough. You also don\u2019t have the opportunity to walk to a colleague\u2019s desk, or just bump into people around the office, so you have to be intentional with making the effort to talk to people.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n In other words, knowing how to communicate effectively<\/a> \u2014 especially in writing \u2014 is essential for those charged with managing a remote team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, how can managers apply those communication skills? Let\u2019s talk about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Promote effective team communication in Pumble<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n As a manager, you will have some sway over the way your team communicates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sure, some companies already have established communication norms, as was the case with Ivana:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was quite helpful that I already knew our company\u2019s culture and the way my managers communicate and collaborate with us. For example, in our company, we don\u2019t message each other after working hours, so that\u2019s something I always kept in mind.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n However, not everyone is lucky enough to work for a company that practices healthy communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In those cases, managers have the opportunity to create a positive culture<\/a> within their own teams. Once again, according to Dunja, it all comes down to making a conscious effort to stay connected:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBeing a remote manager means you rarely see your team in person, which means that communication doesn\u2019t just happen naturally. You need to make a conscious effort to:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n To do that, you need to communicate frequently and transparently, be respectful, and have empathy.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n By using these tips, you could create a bubble of positivity for your team that may one day envelop the rest of the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since remote managers don\u2019t have the luxury of sharing a physical space with their teams, they have to go out of their way to make sure that communication channels are open, as Ivana told us:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKeep your communication open by checking your messages regularly. When working remotely, our only way to communicate with each other is online (by using <\/em>internal communication software<\/em><\/a> or emails). If your team members work in different time zones, it helps to establish at least 2\u20133 fixed hours during the day when everyone\u2019s working. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, avoid contacting your team members during off hours or when they\u2019re on vacation\/sick leave because we all need some time off to rest and recharge.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n White tends to agree, saying that it\u2019s important to be mindful of people\u2019s time:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJust because we use an instant messaging platform doesn\u2019t mean that every message is seen immediately.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n And that right there is the beauty of asynchronous communication<\/a>, which tends to thrive in remote teams. No one expects you to answer your messages immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n Make communication simple and effective. Get things done easily. Try Pumble by CAKE.com.<\/p>\n\n A good remote leader needs to be aware of how working from home tends to reduce team communication to work-related topics, as White told us:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBeing remote, it\u2019s entirely possible to not speak to someone all day. In the office, people will bump into each other in the hallways and have a casual conversation. It\u2019s important to try to incorporate this in conversations as a remote worker too, remembering to have normal conversations and not 100% work 100% of the time.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n In other words, small talk<\/a> is an essential part of your team communication. But, how can remote managers encourage it on their teams?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, they can start casual conversations<\/a> with members of their team, and encourage them to do the same amongst themselves by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Employees, especially new hires, tend to be reluctant when it comes to sending messages through team channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On top of that, if they want to have a relaxed chat, they\u2019ll probably go straight to their favorite coworker\u2019s DMs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That means that managers need to take the lead by bringing relaxed conversations into those official team channels.<\/p>\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 PUMBLE PRO TIP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Encouraging your team to have more casual conversation amongst themselves can strengthen collaboration. To learn more about collaboration and how Pumble can help you foster teamwork, check out the following articles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Connect with your team over Pumble <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though most remote employees use some kind of team collaboration software<\/a> to communicate with their coworkers, not many get to experience their full potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In that regard, getting that managerial position is the perfect opportunity to take a peek under the hood of the messaging app their company uses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To illustrate this point, let\u2019s see how Dunja uses the employee communication app, Pumble<\/a>, now that she\u2019s a manager:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI share news and information in our <\/em>team channel<\/em><\/a> [and] we use the <\/em>video conferencing<\/em><\/a> feature to hold our team weekly meetings.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I also like Reminder and Schedule Messages tools \u2014 thanks to them, I won’t forget to communicate something important, and I also won\u2019t disrupt anyone\u2019s work-life balance.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Ivana also mentioned message scheduling as one of her favorite features in Pumble by CAKE.com:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhenever I need to finish my errands, I usually work in two sessions during the day and finish my work in the late afternoon. So, instead of sending messages to my team members at 6 or 7 p.m., I schedule them for the following morning. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I also like the option of setting a status in Pumble. If I need to, for example, go to the bank, I\u2019ll simply set the \u201cAway\u201d status for one or two hours. This ensures better transparency across the team.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Of course, when managers make a point of using features like message scheduling as a means of respecting their employees\u2019 personal time, the habit often spreads to their teams, too.<\/p>\n\n\n A communication app for teams of all kinds. Discuss, share, and collaborate.<\/p>\n\n Once you\u2019ve got that managerial throne, you\u2019ll inevitably find yourself looking for allies in the form of reliable employees you could elevate to lighten the load.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And so, the story begins anew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As one manager is lifted to a higher position within the company, another must rise to take their place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Luckily, with the right tools, you can make the process painless for everyone involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to train your organizational heirs through Pumble, you can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n And, that\u2019s just the tip of the iceberg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pumble is an incredibly powerful yet cost-effective tool<\/a> designed to make remote work easier<\/a> for its users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if you really want to set yourself up for success, you could complete the set with the CAKE.com productivity bundle<\/a>, which includes Pumble as well as Clockify, a reliable time tracking app, and Plaky, an easy-to-use project management tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Improve company productivity and save money. Get 3 apps for the price of 1.<\/p>\n\n ![\"richard](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/richard-white-omnisend.jpg\")
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\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\nA leap of faith: Transitioning to remote leadership<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Talk that talk: How to communicate as a remote manager<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nPromote a healthy culture, even if it\u2019s only in your own team<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Keep communication open (but don\u2019t overdo it)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Get to know your team communication app<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\nHelp your remote employees step into leadership roles with Pumble by CAKE.com<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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