Liam Martin is passionate about remote work. He wrote a book about successful remote teams called “Running Remote,” which will be released in August 2022. In the book, Liam discusses his research of a dozen billion-dollar-plus remote teams and the methodology that came from that study.
We recently spoke with Liam on the Forge Ahead podcast about allowing employees to create their own schedules, prioritizing complex projects, and communicating with clients according to their cultural norms.
1. Allow Employees to Create Their Own Schedules
Tech tools can help you manage employees from afar. These tools enable teams to communicate and coordinate projects seamlessly and asynchronously, which reduces costs by removing the traditional middle management layer of a company. Additionally, these tools allow employees around the globe to collaborate on the same projects according to their individual schedules.
“Team members located all over planet Earth recognized [they] can’t stay up 24/7,” Liam says. He says companies must adopt a practical approach to coordinating work across time zones. This includes building systems, processes, and platforms to manage business communications without relying on direct managers.
Liam teaches us that an asynchronous work model provides mutual benefits for employers and talent. Employees enjoy autonomy, while the company experiences faster growth because work is completed 24/7.
2. Prioritize Complex Projects
Employees have to balance smaller day-to-day responsibilities with higher-level work and strategic planning. Liam recommends that employees draft a document detailing their daily work. That way, they can hand off their regular duties to a colleague and focus on bigger projects when deeper tasks arise.
Allowing employees to devote their attention to the work that drives innovation ultimately helps companies grow. Liam says, “You’re freeing people up to be able to work on [the]… deep work, having everything available to you in order to be able to solve very difficult problems.”
We learn from Liam that it’s important to prioritize the deep work and create space for employees to pursue it.
3. Communicate With Clients According to Their Cultural Norms
Get to know the cultural customs of your markets so you’ll learn how to communicate effectively with clients. For example, it’s easier to make sales when you understand what clients in Brazil care about and how to interact with them. Of course, their needs will differ from clients in Germany, so you’ll need to adjust your communication style to each region.
“You need to be able to kind of reorganize these cultural touchpoints and the way that these cultures interact with each other,” Liam says. He explains that his company has clients in various territories and that his team has different ways of selling in each region.
Liam reminds us that it’s important to familiarize yourself with your clients and their cultural norms. Tailoring your approach to communicating and selling will help your company grow in each market.
Visit the Forge Ahead homepage to hear the entire conversation with Liam.
