Category: Entrepreneurship

In business, colleagues don’t always see eye-to-eye. Partners disagree with each other and with their employees. Employees disagree with each other and with their employers. No team is exempt from this, no matter how well they normally work together, and no matter how much is at stake. In fact, it’s just the opposite- the more passionate and committed the members of your team are, the more earnestly they’ll want to defend their position when it’s opposed.

As a leader, what should you do when someone disagrees with you, especially an equal partner or a trusted employee? How can you do what’s best for your business without sacrificing the good working relationships your business depends on? How can you help to mediate when members of your team are in a tiff?

It all comes down to reaffirming everyone’s commitment to the overall mission of your business. In a healthy business culture, where mutual respect is the expectation and everyone feels knows that their viewpoints are welcome and valued, it’s never impossible to resolve a dispute. It’s only a matter of having a process in place to determine the best way to go when the business is at a crossroads.

From experience, I’ve found that a few key steps can bring almost any disagreement to a fair resolution:

1. Know that disagreements are inevitable. This is the most proactive step you and the members of your team can take, from day one. To perceive disagreements as a crisis, or to be taken aback when they arise, is already adding a layer of angst and drama to the proceedings that’s completely unnecessary and counter-productive. Don’t fuel conflicts by enlarging them in your perception (and in everyone else’s).

In fact, disagreements are not only normal, they’re a healthy sign! People who are willing to argue for their point of view are people who care about what they’re doing. Employees who feel the need to advocate for their ideas in strong terms are employees who have clearly invested the kind of thought and passion into their work that makes them valuable. And when opposing viewpoints are talked through, analyzed, and dissected appropriately, they usually lead to growth on both sides of the argument- as well as valuable revelations for the business as a whole.

2. Step back and look at the big picture. When there’s a dispute over what the next move is, all parties should take the time to think about it in context. The context is your business’s overall mission, it’s raison d’etre. A disagreement is a good opportunity to revisit that. How would each possible course of action affect the business’s ability to achieve its main goal? This is why having a mission statement in the first place is a necessity, to act as a guidepost when the path isn’t completely clear.

Each person involved in the dispute should ask themselves “What is the purpose of this business? What are we trying to achieve here?” If one course of action brings everyone closer to the goal, then the right move is clear. If both parties think that their preferred course best serves the mission, then it’s time for further examination. In the end, no matter which side prevails, it’s important that everyone keep one larger truth in mind: that your relationship with each other is more important to the business than any single decision. Even if someone has to accept that their preferred course of action isn’t being taken, it doesn’t mean that they’ve “lost” the debate- it means that they’re professional enough to be supportive of their teammates even when they disagree.

3. Give everyone a voice. In a dispute, it’s vital for morale and for the work environment that everyone have a say. A good policy that I’ve found effective is to give each person involved 2 full minutes to state their case without interruption from anyone. It’s not a trial, and it’s not for cross-examination; it’s simply a way for each person to vocalize their position.

Doing so can often resolve the dispute on its own. There may be some point of clarification that, when understood, turns out not to be a point of contention after all. It may force someone who’s too bent on saying what they have to say to actually hear the other side. In some cases, a person who vocalizes (or even writes down) their rationale realizes a flaw in their own position, just by articulating it!

4. Have each side propose a way forward. Too often, disagreements devolve into a question of who’s right and who’s wrong. There is nothing productive in determining who “wins” a disagreement. A disagreement, handled professionally, is a discourse meant to determine what should be done, not a contest to elevate one person over another.

For example, say the person writing your blogs (normally considered to be competent, even witty, and- let’s be honest- downright handsome) has produced a post that’s well-written and informative, but strikes a tone you find inappropriate. Maybe it’s abrasive or condescending. Maybe it’s a great post, but it doesn’t speak with your business’s voice.

In a dispute, you would “win” if the post was scrapped. The writer would “win” if the post went up. In either case, someone walks away having asserted themselves, and someone walks away defeated. Neither is a resolution. Neither is productive, because no matter what effect the post will have, it’s damaged the dynamic.

Instead, if both parties can communicate effectively and respectfully, it might just be determined that some minor re-wording or adjustment in tone would make the post acceptable to all. You may learn to appreciate what goes into a good blog, or be convinced that a somewhat edgier tone could be a bold and positive decision. The writer may learn that he’s not just speaking for himself, but for the business, or admit that bad feelings over a personal situation have infected his writing. Whatever happens, by seeing a disagreement as an opportunity to evolve, and not a contest between combatants, you move towards the best outcome.

5. Bring in a third party. If the disagreement can’t seem to be resolved by the two sides alone, it may be best to consult someone outside the argument. The credibility of someone who’s respected by both sides, with no bias or anything to gain from any particular outcome, might be the first thing opponents agree on. By seeking an objective outside perspective, both sides may be alerted to things neither had considered, or simply be shown how their own biases have colored their understanding of the opposing view.

The third party doesn’t necessarily have to have the power to choose the course of action, but the perspective alone could radically alter the trajectory of the conversation- especially if it’s headed in an unpleasant direction.

6. Shelve it. As a last resort, if no resolution can be reached, it’s sometimes necessary to simply retire the argument- but not permanently. When a disagreement has reached such a pitch as to become detrimental, or the parties are at such an impasse that no solution seems visible, it may be time to put a pin in it. As long as there’s not a deadline or some required course of action, letting a dispute rest for a while can be very helpful.

Temporarily backing away from a dispute can give everyone involved the time needed to let the emotions fall away from it, ponder the different viewpoints, and align their argument with the overall goals of the business. Especially if people are becoming emotional or heated, the back burner can be the best option. This is not a failure to resolve the issue, so long as everyone remains committed to resolving it. Schedule a revisitation of the issue at an agreed-upon time, and simply try again later.

By taking these steps, you can resolve almost any disagreement that will come up in your business. Above all, never allow yourself to lash out, and always be honest with yourself in determining if your own ego is standing in the way of a solution. Disputes are uncomfortable for most non-sociopaths, so recognize that that discomfort breeds defensiveness, and be patient.

Commit yourself to resolving disputes with compassion and equanimity, and everyone in your business will see them as part of the process of succeeding together.

The search for good employees is a lot like dating. The pool of applicants is huge, and it can seem impossible to tell the ones you’d like to introduce to your parents from the ones that’ll leave you lying on the couch watching Love Actually and sobbing into your morning vodka. With so many job-seekers (especially in a global field of potential remote employees), how can you sift through the crowd to find the people who will help your business reach its potential?

The key is to establish the image, culture and “personality” of your business as clearly as possible, so that only those who would make a good match for you and your operation will be likely to apply. Rather than trying to seek out and hire the “best” in the field, it’s better to broadcast what your company is about in a way that attracts the right people for your business. As in love, the best policy is to be yourself. Put your company’s individual character on display, and let it reel in the most compatible.

Putting Culture First

Even if you’re not hiring yet, it’s important to lay the groundwork for finding employees in an efficient way. From my own experience, I can tell you that turnover is one of the biggest wastes of resources in business. Hiring, firing, and sifting through legions of applicants’ costs time and money. When businesses don’t take the necessary steps to attract the right applicants in the first place, it’s rarely well spent. That’s why it’s best to be proactive.

Here at Business Republic, we’ve managed to assemble a fantastic team that we believe will do more than just show up and work. By wearing our particular culture on our sleeve, we’ve attracted people whose commitment goes beyond their paycheck. It might sound a little idealistic, but experience has proven that people want to work somewhere that they like just as badly as they want certain salaries and benefits.

Of course pay, benefits, vacation time, and all the other rewards of a given job are going to factor heavily in who your business attracts, but neglecting culture and climate is the surest way to attract people who only care about those things. This is limiting. Get the culture right, and employees who are intrinsically motivated are more likely to come your way. That’s not to suggest that there’s a standard “right” or “wrong” culture; each business’s is different. The trick is to attract people who will thrive in yours.

With clear cultural expectations in place, employees are more likely to fit in with your existing staff and add to a powerful team dynamic. People may be content at a job that pays the bills, but they’re happiest when they’re legitimately excited about what they do every day. While content employees might simply work, happy employees care. By applying for a position at least partially because they believe in a certain vision, rooted in culture, employees are making a statement. They don’t just want to make a living. They want to help build something they see as meaningful.

Drawing Applicants In

The first step in broadcasting your culture (for hiring purposes) is to build a proper Careers page. Whether you’re hiring yet or not, your business website should include a page devoted to the experience of working for you. This is potential applicants’ first introduction to your company’s character. What does working for you mean? What does it look like? Use this page to try to give applicants a sense of what the experience is, or at least what you want it to be.

On the page, have a direct, bold headline that sums up your company’s vibe. For example, the Careers page of our webinar company, Webinar Ninja, starts with a simple declaration: “Driven, passionate professionals love working here!” We don’t start by touting the pay or the benefits; we start by identifying exactly who we think will jell with our team.

We also don’t start by identifying any particular skill set, level of education, or other indicator of previous achievement. Instead, we focus on attitude. Our most important qualifications are drive, passion and professionalism. If an applicant doesn’t have that, it doesn’t matter if they hold three doctorates and a recommendation letter from the President- it’s the attitude that counts, and the attitude we ultimately hire for. Skills can be trained. Experience can be gained. Our business culture focuses primarily on enthusiasm, and that’s the first thing we want applicants to know.

The banner over our benefits section further affirms our driven but fun culture: “Working at Webinar Ninja ROCKS!” We then show the applicants why. Six graphic representations of what makes Webinar Ninja such a great place to work, followed by brief descriptions, entice the applicant (or at least the type of applicant we’re looking for). Of the six, only one of the benefits is monetary. While we’re clear about offering competitive pay and bonuses, the vast majority of the page is devoted to what’s inherently enjoyableabout the way we do business, and what matters to us in terms of outlook.

For example, we highlight our commitment to training and development. “We invest in our teammates” isn’t just a slogan. It’s a statement of principle. We don’t see employment simply as a transaction (work for money), we see it as a symbiotic relationship (helping our business grow and evolve for helping our employees grow and evolve). The employee gets more than just pay, and we get more than just work.

In another of the benefits, we tout our idea of what makes a dynamic team. “We believe talented people can be found anywhere in the world.” We highlight our remote team, stretching from California to India to the Philippines, and our commitment to diversity. Those who like the idea of coming together with people from all over the globe on a shared mission know that our company is the place to do it. Those who prefer monoculture need not apply.

Already, before they’ve scrolled halfway down the page, we’re filtering for the kind of enthusiastic, progressive go-getters that want to be “part of something special.”

Using Your Own Employees 

Attracting and hiring people in a culture-based way can have a multiplier effect. By encouraging a certain kind of team dynamic based on attitude and outlook, you’re likely to hire people who will bring in more good candidates.

People who thrive at your business probably have others in their network with a similar approach to their work. With your own team’s recommendations, you may not have to search very hard for great candidates. Ultimately, your company’s reputation as a great place to work for a certain sort will become a beacon that attracts all the candidates you’ll ever need, without your having to solicit applications. You can also encourage this to happen with rewards, like our “Rock Star Recruitment” policy at Webinar Ninja, which offers bonuses for bringing in new hires that end up staying.

As they say, business is about relationships. I believe that’s not limited to the ones you have with clients, but extends to your team. Building a great team requires truly thinking of it as a team, and of your business as a group endeavor in which everyone’s role is vital. If you can create a culture of appreciation that makes your employees feel valued, it will pay off both in productivity and in the quality of applicants you attract.

Remote teams are well on their way to becoming the norm in modern business. With global interconnectivity eliminating the distance between everywhere and everywhere else, the 20th century office model is quickly going the way of the fax machine. While it may sound strange, it’s likely that the concept of “going to work” will soon be as irrelevant as it was in our not-too-distant past. Therefore, knowing how to adjust to this new paradigm is a must for new entrepreneurs.

Here at Business Republic, we like to think we have a pretty amazing remote team dynamic, with employees living and working everywhere from California to India to the Philippine Islands. That dynamic is no accident. It requires assembling the right team, and it’s only possible with competent, mindful management. Managing a remote or virtual team is very different from managing a traditional office, as we’ve been forced to learn in helping to pioneer it. With little literature out on the topic, our experience has been our best teacher. Through it, we’ve discovered these 5 key concepts to remote team management:

1. Don’t Herd Cats

Before the Internet, the traditional office was a necessity in order for employees to be able to communicate and work together efficiently. It also became a way for management to constantly “keep an eye” on their employees, like wardens in a prison made of cubicles. While the efficacy of this approach is debatable even for an old-fashioned office, it’s not even a possibility for a remote team. If your virtual employees are goofing off at the water cooler, you’re never going to know- partially because they’re miles away, but mostly because there’s no water cooler in the first place.

In Remote: Office Not Required by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, the founders of Basecamp argue that excessive oversight is a fool’s errand. They liken the effort to control your employees’ every movement to herding cats: as pointless as it is impossible. Instead, the remote manager’s job is to verify results, not monitor the process. All that matters is what comes back, and that it comes back by the deadline you’ve given.

With this approach, communication is clear and precise, but it’s succinct. A remote manager doesn’t need to know how long an employee’s lunch break was, or offer any instruction as to how they manage their time. They only need to know what they’re expected to produce and when. What they do in the meantime is their decision- a liberating, modern approach to management that sees employees as adults capable of more self-management, and attracts self-motivating people.

2. Clear and Consistent Communication

Since remote management allows such freedom and independence for employees, it becomes more important to communicate effectively. Instructions have to be almost excessively clear and explicit, but they also have to be to the point. Brevity and clarity have to rule the day, as your team needs to know exactly what they’re expected to do, without being able to pop by your office or be shown in person.

At Business Republic, we use Gmail, Slack and Skype. Gmails are for the day-to-day communication, and the central hub through which projects are assigned, tracked, turned in and modified through Google Docs and Sheets. To make emails more efficient, we have a standard language of subject lines that automatically clarify their intent. Our “EOD” (End of Day) emails are summative, while “Action Needed” in the subject line makes it clear that whatever’s in the body has to be addressed as soon as possible. By keeping it clear from the subject line, our email communication is faster, more clear, and more effective.

Slack is our messaging app for quick, spur-of-the-moment or minor questions and clarifications. This allows us to carry a running conversation with remote employees in between emails. Again, it’s concise, it’s smooth, and it’s functional above all; not a second is wasted, and our team can work together as efficiently as a group of people sharing a physical space. When we need to have meetings or a live dialogue, we simply use Skype- no airfare or conference room required.

3. Organized and Efficient Systems

Since a remote manager doesn’t directly guide the course of their team’s work, it’s imperative to have the most self-sustaining systems and procedures in place. They can take time and a great deal of thought to build and perfect, but clear and organized procedures replace the need to “manage” in the traditional sense by acting as a standing guide for employees.

Your systems and procedures are the support infrastructure that keeps your team on track. Therefore, they’ve got to be as simple and reductive as possible, while also being intuitive. At Business Republic, we write out all of our procedures for every task in detail. We create shared documents on Google Drive, create short tutorials on ScreenFlow, and use LastPass to keep everything cohesive and secure.

It’s a relatively short list of tools, and there are many great remote management resources like Basecamp and Asana, with different variations on the same features. Whatever you use, all that matters is that it enables each employee to access their work quickly and complete it smoothly.

What you put into these systems will determine what you get out of them. It can be pretty time-consuming to establish your procedures at the beginning; for instance, a task that only takes a team member 10 minutes to complete may require an hour’s worth of work to describe and write into the systems. It’s less efficient on the manager’s end, but the net gain in efficiency by the team is well worth the effort. As your employees become more familiar with your systems, they can also be invited to suggest modifications that will increase their efficiency even further, perfecting the workflow collaboratively.

4. Create a Strong Culture

What holds a great company together and attracts the best and brightest is its office culture. But without an office, it takes a more conscious effort to establish and maintain that culture. Companies like Airbnb and buffer.com have perfected this art, and as a result people flock to work for them. Just by reading the emails of a company with a great culture (remote or otherwise), you can get a sense of how upbeat and uplifting the attitude is.

Great attitudes among team members is no accident; it’s the product of conscientious culture management. Positivity, mutual supportiveness, inclusiveness and encouragement can be shared just as easily (if differently) through an email or Slack message as in a physical meeting, if you take the time. Learn to recognize the difference between efficient communication and communication that’s terse or impersonal. Take the time to foster good culture not as an aside, but as an integral part of your management strategy.

You’ll soon find what we found- that your own employees will draw more and more talent your way, because of the happy experience they’ve lived firsthand.

5. Honest and Abundant Praise

Part of your business’s culture should involve your making time for praise. Somewhere between absent-minded pats on the virtual back and insincere flattery lies the genuine expression of your appreciation for great work. That appreciation creates a feedback loop in which team members, feeling appreciated, want to give their best for more than just monetary gain.

The art of effective praise is detailed in Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. Honest praise and well-earned rewards have an exponential effect on motivation and work quality that will be reflected in your team’s productivity. While some managers see praise as something to be held back, in my experience it’s best to let loose with it, so long as it’s sincere. A good manager doesn’t need to be reserved in order to maintain their authority. They need only be honest.

In the end, good managerial policies and practices are all that you need, even without your hands on the reins of a physical team confined to an office space. You’ll discover which employees thrive under more or less supervision and guidance, which ones have the attitude that supersedes all experience or learnable skills, and how to best motivate each individual.

Take the time to get to know your team personally. Without seeing them or having those interstitial water-cooler moments, it takes a mindful effort to build human relationships with them. Building those relationships is important, and not a detraction from your efficiency. In fact, strong interpersonal relationships will breed loyalty and motivation more than anything. With the right approach, that’s just as doable online as in the office.