How to Build a Better Remote Team at Your Digital Marketing Agency

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Understanding Team Dynamics
  3. Practical Steps to Implement CliftonStrengths in Remote Teams
  4. Enhancing Communication and Collaboration
  5. Client Communication and Relationship Management
  6. Exploring Alternatives to CliftonStrengths
  7. Conclusion

Introduction

In today's digital age, the shift to remote work has transformed the traditional office environment. For digital marketing agencies that thrive on collaboration and creativity, this shift presents both opportunities and challenges. A startling fact is that a significant number of agencies have been managing either fully remote or hybrid teams for more than four years. Yet, obstacles such as miscommunication, lack of team cohesion, and difficulty in managing matrix teams persist.

This blog post aims to provide digital marketing agency leaders with effective strategies to build and maintain a high-performing remote team. By the end of this article, you will understand the importance of recognizing individual strengths through personality assessments and how these insights can enhance team dynamics and overall success. We'll delve into tools such as CliftonStrengths and explore practical steps to foster a cohesive and efficient remote working environment.

Understanding Team Dynamics

The Role of Personality Strength Assessments

The foundational step in building a solid remote team is understanding each team member's unique strengths. Tools like CliftonStrengths or the Enneagram can be invaluable. These assessments offer insights into individual behaviors and preferences, enabling managers to allocate tasks more effectively and cultivate an environment of mutual respect and understanding.

What is CliftonStrengths?

Developed by the Gallup organization, CliftonStrengths (formerly Clifton StrengthsFinder) is a tool designed to help individuals discover their innate strengths. The assessment categorizes strengths into themes such as Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking. Each theme has its own set of strengths, and the assessment identifies a person's top five strengths out of 34 possible ones. This categorization helps in understanding how individuals lead and interact within a team.

Identifying Leadership Styles

CliftonStrengths helps in identifying key leadership styles:

  • Influence-driven leaders thrive by working through others and driving collective success.
  • Relationship-focused leaders excel in fostering strong personal connections.
  • Strategic leaders are adept at long-term planning and problem-solving.
  • Execution-oriented leaders are highly efficient in task completion and organization.

Building a Balanced Team

By using CliftonStrengths during the recruitment process, you can ensure a balanced mix of strengths within your team. For example, leadership roles benefit from diversity in strengths, with a mix of colors (themes) being highly desirable. Such diversity allows for a comprehensive approach to problem-solving and drives innovative thinking.

Practical Steps to Implement CliftonStrengths in Remote Teams

Conducting Assessments

Start by having each team member complete the CliftonStrengths assessment. This should be part of the onboarding process for new hires and a periodic exercise for existing employees. The results should be shared openly within the team to promote understanding and transparency.

Integrating Strengths into Workflows

Use the insights from the assessments to tailor tasks and projects according to individual strengths. For instance:

  • Team members with high Relationship Building strengths could be assigned client-facing roles.
  • Those with Strategic Thinking strengths could focus on long-term planning and complex problem-solving.
  • Individuals excelling in Influencing could take on leadership roles in team-based projects.

Monitoring and Evolving

Track the strengths of your team over time. This continuous monitoring can help identify emerging strengths and adapt roles and responsibilities as individuals grow in their careers. Career development should align with the evolution of personal strengths, ensuring that team members remain engaged and productive.

Enhancing Communication and Collaboration

The Challenges of Remote Communication

Remote work often leads to communication gaps due to the lack of non-verbal cues and the nuances of vocal tone that are lost in text-based communication. Misunderstandings can arise, and building rapport becomes more difficult without face-to-face interaction.

Leveraging CliftonStrengths for Better Communication

Knowledge of each team member’s CliftonStrengths results can mitigate these challenges. Managers can tailor communication styles to suit individual preferences and foster an environment of empathy and understanding. For example:

  • Using more direct communication with team members who have strong Execution strengths.
  • Engaging more personally with those who excel in Relationship Building.

Building Rapport

Encourage regular check-ins and virtual meetups that focus not just on work but also on personal interactions. Sharing personal CliftonStrengths results openly within the team can build a foundation of mutual respect and understanding. This practice can lead to improved teamwork and reduced conflict.

Structuring Teams for Success

Matrix teams, where an individual reports to multiple leaders, can greatly benefit from a strengths-based approach. Understanding how each team member is motivated and their preferred working style can simplify delegation and ensure that everyone's strengths are fully utilized.

Client Communication and Relationship Management

Understanding Clients Through Strengths

Even without directly knowing a client's strengths, insights from CliftonStrengths can help in anticipating client needs and preferences based on observed behavior. This understanding can enhance client relationships and improve service delivery.

Tailoring Client Interactions

By aligning the strengths of client-facing team members with their roles, agencies can ensure that each interaction is as effective as possible. For example:

  • Using team members with high Influencing strengths in negotiations and new client acquisitions.
  • Leveraging those with strong Relationship Building strengths for customer service and retention.

Exploring Alternatives to CliftonStrengths

While CliftonStrengths is a powerful tool, there are other personality and strength assessment tools that agencies can consider. The Enneagram and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) are two popular alternatives that offer unique insights into team dynamics and individual preferences.

The Enneagram

The Enneagram provides a detailed map of nine personality types, offering a deep understanding of motivations and behaviors. It helps in creating more balanced and empathetic teams by recognizing diverse personality types.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

MBTI categorizes individuals into 16 distinct personality types based on preferences in four areas: Extroversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving. This tool can help in understanding communication styles and how team members approach tasks and decision-making.

Conclusion

Building a better remote team at your digital marketing agency requires a strategic approach centered on understanding and leveraging individual strengths. Tools like CliftonStrengths provide valuable insights that can enhance team dynamics, improve communication, and drive overall success. By integrating these insights into your workflows, fostering transparent communication, and aligning roles with strengths, you can create a cohesive and high-performing remote team.

FAQ

Q: How often should you conduct personality assessments?

A: Initial assessments should be part of the onboarding process. Periodic re-assessment, such as annually, can help track changes and growth in strengths.

Q: Can CliftonStrengths be used for client relationships?

A: Yes, understanding these strengths can help tailor interactions and improve client relationships, even without direct knowledge of the client's strengths.

Q: Are all strengths equally important?

A: Each strength offers unique value. No strength is inherently better than another; it’s about how well they complement each other within the team.

Q: How do you handle conflicts in a remote team?

A: Use insights from personality assessments to understand the root causes of conflicts and mediate based on individual preferences and strengths.

Q: Are there free alternatives to CliftonStrengths?

A: Tools like the Enneagram and MBTI have free versions and can provide valuable insights into individual and team dynamics.