How do you develop a fully remote group of employees, contractors and partners to become a true high performance team?
As the nature of the workplace changes, approaches to team development are constantly adapting to keep up. And, like everything in the world of work, it seems the changes are ever more rapid. While we help our clients build strong teams, we’ve also been intentional about team development in-house at Thomas Brooke International. We’ve found that a successful team thrives through trust, creative freedom, and shared values.
Behind the Scenes at Thomas Brooke International…
Something remarkable stood out to me during one of our company-wide virtual meetings. Everyone – from business owners and recruiters to finance, accounting, IT, marketing specialists and content creators – collaborated seamlessly despite being physically apart. There was a real esprit de corps, not just people going through the motions. This moment captured the essence of modern team development in action.
A Diverse Organizational Structure Can Work
As a business with over thirty years of history, we’ve built a deep, organic network of vital contributors. Our team comprises:
- Full-time employees
- Specialized contractors
- Part-time experts
- Strategic partners
This mixed structure isn’t just about flexibility – it’s about bringing together the right talent in the right way. Each person contributes their unique expertise while maintaining the freedom to work in their optimal environment.
Building Trust Through Ownership
The Freedom to Create
Traditional team management relied on close oversight and hierarchical organizational structures. However, we’ve found that giving team members ownership over their domains leads to extraordinary results. When people feel trusted to:
- Make key decisions
- Experiment with new approaches
- Learn from mistakes
- Apply their expertise freely
They consistently exceed expectations and drive innovation and continuous improvement.
Engagement Through Appreciation
Regular engagement is not micromanagement. No one thrives in an environment that is over-managed, only task-based, and has no trust. Instead, we focus on:
- Communicating changing priorities frequently and clearly
- Creating effective feedback loops that celebrate successes
- Encouraging trust-based open dialogue about challenges
- Building truly collaborative solutions that maximize focus on the right goals
- Recognizing individual contributions
- Ensuring everyone understands how their contribution connects to the organization’s goals
- Fostering mutual respect and support beyond the task at hand
The Multi-Faceted Nature of Growth
Much like a plant needs multiple elements to thrive – water, sunlight, and nutrients – professional growth requires multiple components:
Essential Elements for Team Success
- Sense of purpose
- Clear communication of expectations with accountability
- Trust-based relationships
- Creative freedom
- Professional development
- Positive recognition
- Fair compensation
When these elements combine effectively, both individuals and organizations flourish naturally.
Remote Work That Really Works
The key to successful remote collaboration lies in interconnected elements working together to create a cohesive virtual workplace. Creating clear, focused communication channels serves as the foundation, ensuring information flows smoothly across the organization without friction or information loss. Everyone knows what their contribution is and how it contributes to the organization
This works in tandem with establishing shared goals and values, which align team members despite physical separation. Regular, meaningful interaction keeps team members engaged and connected, while consciously building genuine connections helps overcome the distance barrier.
Together, these elements create a robust framework for remote teams to thrive and deliver exceptional results.
Measuring Success Through Results
We evaluate performance based on outcomes rather than hours logged or physical presence. This approach:
- Empowers team members
- Drives innovation
- Increases productivity
- Enhances job satisfaction
Walking The Talk
These principles don’t just guide our internal operations – they inform how we help clients build their teams. Our own experience in creating successful mixed organizational structures gives us practical insight into:
- Identifying candidates who thrive in trust-based environments (an absolute requirement)
- Matching talent with organizational cultures
- Building sustainable team structures
- Creating long-term successful partnerships
Conclusion
The future of team development requires trust, freedom, and mutual growth. We live these principles daily, and we’re ready to help you build your high-performance team using these same proven approaches. Whether you’re looking to expand your technical or sales team, or transform your organizational structure, we understand what it takes to create successful, sustainable teams in today’s evolving workplace.
Contact us to learn how we can help you implement these team development principles in your organization and find the right talent to drive your success forward.
