The Long Distance Teammate with Co-Author Wayne Turmel

Leverage Ladies

This time around, the Leverage Ladies, are joined by Wayne Turmel. Wayne is the author of The Long Distance Teammate, as well as several other novels and stories. He’s a former stand-up comedian and is now an entrepreneur and expert in remote leadership.

Over the past 18 years he’s spent working in virtual communication, he’s come to become an authority in the remote space—especially given the changes since the pandemic. When this event happened, virtual work got pushed in a way so many people didn’t anticipate (although Wayne certainly saw it coming).

What does it mean to be a good teammate? There are “3 P’s” of remote work success: productive, proactive, and potential. Great teammates don’t just complete their own work—they reach out and help others once their work is done. Engaged employees also stand above the rest as the best kinds of teammates.

In the hiring process you can test for aptitude and stylistic fit, but you can’t necessarily test for engagement. Engagement comes from within. As an employer, the onus is on you to create an engaging environment, but whether or not an employee connects with that is up to them. Opening a conversation, even when a team member says everything is “fine,”can help you keep a pulse on how they’re really feeling.

A big mistake managers tend to make is over measuring or under measuring. Constantly checking in can get in the way of productivity, but not checking in often enough can cause you to miss important factors along the way. If you can learn to think of yourself as a leader rather than just a manager, you have a greater chance of creating trust and engagement with your team.

Connect with Wayne:

https://wayneturmel.com/

Connect with us:

www.leverageladies.com