Overall, the concepts presented in this book work regardless of physical proximity. If your team is never in the same space and always operates together remotely, they will still benefit from the trust and respect-driven dynamic described within these pages. The same techniques can and should be applied to both in person and remote leadership. In the end, the goal is the same; foster the right culture so the team can perform at the highest level. I’m a strong proponent of the remote first method of work we watched become so successful during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were already examples that this approach was viable before 2020 (I started working remotely for Intel in 2006; half of my 20-year career there was spent working remotely), but I firmly believe that the case has been made that working in an office is no longer a requirement for everyone. There are certain jobs and certain classes of work that benefit from or even require being on-site, but there are many that do not.

The key to making any team function at its highest potential, even a remote team, is to build a team dynamic or culture. The right culture influences everything the team does; how they approach and resolve problems, how they celebrate wins, and how they recover from losses. That dynamic is massively influenced by their leader. There’s an axiom that says, “The speed of the team is the speed of the boss,” and this is a readily apparent fact you can witness. If a leader is slow and methodical, doesn’t prioritize deadlines, and generally isn’t concerned about output, the leader’s team will naturally follow that lead and deliver slowly. On the other hand, a leader who emphasizes hitting deadlines and works to remove roadblocks to success will instill in the team the drive to succeed, to meet or beat those deadlines, and to bring up issues they need help with as they’ve seen proof their leader wants to help them. Why does this happen? If your leader prioritizes one action over another, it would be strange for you to do the opposite of what the leader wants. The leader’s job is to lead and yours is to take direction based on that lead.Culture is made up of much more than just following directions, however. Culture also includes the styles, behaviors, attitudes, and even the values within the team — all shaped, informed, and guided directly by the team leader. The team culture informs how and when the work gets done and whether the way a team works together is boring and quiet or fun and exciting along the way. This all flows from the leader’s words, actions, and examples the leader sets for the team every day. When the team is remote, this culture instillment is even more critical. Consider the following nonsense example to make the point. You are leading a team of people who all work in the same office building, but each person works on a different floor. As the leader, you’ve made ‘rules’ that there is to be no