| You need to synchronize your operations and shake out the trust issue. Set up a mandatory morning and afternoon call at the same time every day. 15 minutes. Spend the first two minutes of each call recapping your current milestones. If it takes more than 2 minutes you're talking about the wrong stuff. See below. "Yesterday we expected to get to X." Then reiterate what the team members told you in the last meeting. Person 1: What are you working on? Need anything? Next step?
Person 2: What are you working on? Need anything? Next step?
Person 3: What are you working on? Need anything? Next step? Anything taking more than 2 minutes take offline, or stay on the bridge line after the others are gone. If you do this for a few weeks you'll quickly spot who is flaking, working for another company or project on the side, or who really just needed more direction from you. When people experience trust issues, there's a good reason: either they are insecure, or someone is untrustworthy. I've managed large corporate customers remotely for years, performed complex projects remote. Once you get the process under way you can move to a single morning call. Do not skip it. Do not reschedule it. Do not miss it. Get in the habit and your team will fall in line. The rest of the issues will sort themselves out. |