Agencies That Build #6 – Cultivating Successful Teams in Remote Settings | Jim Babcock

In this episode of ‘Agencies That Build’ we are discussing cultivating successful teams in remote settings with Jim Babcock, President, SPM Services Inc. He also serves as an Advisor to the Executive Management team at Galaxy. Jim specializes in consulting people to take their ideas and turn them into successful businesses.

This episode is a special one, not because it features our friend but because we have managed to break two ATB records. One for the Longest Guest Introduction and another for the Longest Name :D.

Here are some of the myths that Jim busted for us when Casey handed over the mighty Mjölnir to him. 

Myths

  • Working with offshore companies is a nightmare
  • Expecting perfect outcomes from offshore teams without engaging like you’d with a domestic team
  • Transparency comes naturally to people

During this session Jim shared a lot of actionable and practical advice for project management while working with a remote team. He shared from his experiences the ups and the downsides of working with a team in a different cultural setting. 

Most things are meant to be done in the traditional way only. A remote setting doesn’t necessarily mean a change in basic human tendency. Talk frequently, understand your team, their needs, and culture and plan accordingly. That’s exactly what you do with an in-house team for keeping them efficient.  

Jim also shared some of the best practices that helps teams in remote settings

  • Great planning phase + Detailed specifications = A smoother build phase
  • Break work down in sprints to avoid analysis paralysis
  • Defining completion and designing it upfront into your contract is critical
  • Daily stand up meetings are a must

When Casey asked about the future of technology, James was quick to answer, as in how during the pandemic almost every business shifted to remote environments which resulted in a sudden spike in demand for video platforms. During which duration WebRTC emerged as the essential tech for the coming future as more and more businesses start to integrate video in their processes.   

There is a lot that we haven’t covered in this blog but that’s what the Podcast and our YouTube channel is for. Head on there and catch up on the secret recipe to Successful Teams in a Remote Setting. 

TL;DR | Takeaways for Cultivating Successful Teams in Remote Setting

  • Get to know your team on a personal level
  • Develop a good specification for your product
  • Meet with them in the same duration you would with your domestic team
  • Look at your team as your partner. You need to have a contract that is flexible rather than stringent. This allows for more growth and room for expenses in the case of emergencies.
  • If you are working with an offshore team, and they have multiple teams in multiple regions then you need to know that. Transparency is key to communication.
  • Be willing to work with every party and come to middle ground on when and how things need to be done for optimized productivity.
  • Don’t fall into Analysis Paralysis! Break work down into sprints to move productivity and fulfill requirements.
  • Career advice from Jim Babcock- take time to appreciate the blessings around you.

Share

Stay up to date with latest happenings in our space