How do you align stakeholders in a remote working environment?

As many of us now know, aligning stakeholders in a remote working environment presents unique challenges. To foster alignment, consider the following strategies:

• Agree on shared objectives - define and communicate clear project KPIs and refer back to them repeatedly

• Communicate effectively - foster transparency, and effective asynchronous communication. Send pre-reads and meeting agendas to have more effective meetings. Send clear and concise status updates.

• Build relationships - actively involve stakeholders in decision making, get to know each colleague through regular 1:1s, and build a culture of trust and collaboration.

Having a regular cadence of communication is key to proper alignment

• Communicate clearly and frequently

  Use multiple channels and formats, such as video calls, emails, instant messages, and newsletters.

• Set clear expectations

  Define the scope, goals, roles, responsibilities, deadlines, and feedback mechanisms for each project or task.

• Build trust and rapport

  Trust is essential for collaboration, innovation, and problem-solving, while rapport is important for creating a sense of belonging, camaraderie, and support.

• Others

  Assign responsibilities and clear goals for all team members. Having right tools also will help.