"How to Motivate & Manage Distributed Teams During Uncertain Times" - Keynote featuring Swati Raju, Head of Engineering for Confluence Cloud at Atlassian (Recording & Key Takeaways)

Swati Raju is the Head of Engineering for Confluence Cloud at Atlassian, an enterprise software company. Thank you to Atlassian for sponsoring this keynote!

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In the past couple of years, we have seen the world change drastically. As we continue to recover from the pandemic that has shifted the way we think of remote work forever and the tech layoffs affecting our families and friends, there is a simple truth based on the changes in the world. Putting ourselves in the shoes of our teams, people worry about the crisis itself—whether their jobs are secure and what life will look like after the worst has passed. Who among us isn't pondering how their jobs will evolve in the next two to five years due to AI? In such an environment, leaders like Swati Raju, Atlassian’s Head of Engineering Confluence Cloud, emphasize: 'In an environment where any change brings about fear and misinformation is assumed for the worst, this raises the question,"How do we show up as leaders to meet this moment?"' 

“In an environment where any change brings about fear and misinformation is assumed for the worst, this raises the question,”How do we show up as leaders to meet this moment?””

— Swati Raju, Atlassian’s Head of Engineering Confluence Cloud

#1 Setting Remote Ground Rules

No matter how good our remote working tools are, they can also mask the intention and humanity of the people involved. This is why it is really important to have those ground rules of remote work for teamwork as well as for solid communication.

1. Empathy is everything: Always assume positive intent; the tone and nuance can get lost in speech. Therefore, assume that a teammate is coming from a place of positive intent.

2. Keep Important Information transparent: Transparency is vital for alignment and trust. Make important information easily accessible to all team members. The more transparent the communication, the more secure the team feels.

3. Asynchronous is A-OK: Remote teams often span different time zones. Embrace asynchronous communication to accommodate these differences while maintaining effective collaboration. There needs to be a level of intention to make this successful. A great example of this is sharing expectations on working hours, how often team communicate, and 

4. Embrace different but equal: Accept the fundamental reality that all team members are equal, but they have different experiences, and we have to be considerate of their needs. 

5. Expect structure: Remote work demands structure. Establish shared working hours, meeting frequencies, and even structured team-building activities to maintain a sense of connection and fun. As Swati Raju, Atlassian's Director, emphasizes, 'Meeting team members in person, breaking bread together, and sharing memorable experiences need to be augmented with fully remote work. 

#2 Navigating Turbulent Waters with Grace

Navigating Turbulent Waters with Grace: The most important thing to remember is that people prefer to receive bad news as soon as possible and in a straightforward way. Here are the three ways to navigate these turbulent times.

1. Adaptability: As situations evolve, adapt your plans. Solicit and act on feedback, and consistently review and update your strategy. Lastly, keep in mind the significance of not just conveying the decision itself, but also elucidating the process that led to that decision.

2. Transparency: Deliver bad news promptly and straightforwardly. Timely sharing of information builds trust even in challenging times. Leaders who wait to communicate may inadvertently damage trust within their teams.

3. Empathy in Communication: Be emotionally intelligent in your communication. Deliver messages that are digestible yet comprehensive, reducing the risk of overwhelming your team with information.

#3 Motivation in the Face of Uncertainty

If we look at the roadmap through the lens of remote teams, we find insights from Dan Pink's book called 'Drive.' In this book, the author, Dan Pink, delves into the concept of intrinsic motivation. The structure he presents is particularly appealing; the idea he outlines is that motivation is truly driven by three key factors. 

1. Autonomy: In a remote world, a great example of this is the urge to direct our own lives, like the level of sovereignty you have in organizing your day.

2. Mastery: Given that we no longer have the luxury of asking someone next to us a question, creating environments and opportunities for learning becomes paramount. Therefore, incorporating structured learning into the plan is essential. 

3. Purpose: Bring our teams closer or more deeply into the purpose, helping them understand that their work makes a difference. 

   1. It's crucial to aid them in recognizing the impact of their work.

   2. In terms of reinforcing motivation, the provision of rich and valuable feedback is pivotal. Offering feedback on their tasks aids them in self-direction. This concept highlights how autonomy, mastery, and purpose are intertwined rather than distinct entities; they collectively contribute to motivation.

Wrapping it up, in the face of uncertainty, it's the actions and attitudes of leaders that will set the tone for the entire team's journey. By establishing clear remote work guidelines, transparent communication, intrinsic motivation, and emotional resilience, leaders can inspire and guide their teams to navigate challenges with grace and determination. Swati, in sharing her personal insights, emphasizes, “When an emotionally resilient person, if you can come to the moment and wear a brave face with genuine bravery and optimism, I think great things can happen. And if you can do that for yourself, then you can begin to start doing that for your teams."