Managing remote-first teams is no longer just a pandemic-driven necessity—it’s now the new norm for how tech companies operate, driving success in the digital age. But managing a high-performing, distributed team isn’t as simple as Zoom calls and Slack messages. It takes a nuanced approach to leadership, cultural understanding, and structuring work processes for success.
Building high-performing distributed teams is more than just hiring people from different time zones. While remote work has its obvious benefits, there are lesser-known aspects that, if handled correctly, can make all the difference in fostering a successful, dynamic team.
In a recent Connecting the Americas fireside chat, Scheila Farias, LatAm Talent Specialist, shared her experiences and strategies for recruiting and developing distributed teams, offering invaluable insights into both the perks and challenges.
Scheila Farias
Here’s what you need to know about building, managing, and nurturing high-performing remote teams.
Keeping Teams Laser-Focused on Product, User Needs, and Business Outcomes
High-performing teams consistently exceed expectations, but the real key to success among strategies for remote-first teams lies in focusing not only on efficiency but on solving the right problems. Scheila emphasizes that building a high-performing team isn’t just about getting more work done—it’s about making sure every action aligns with the company’s North Star and contributes to the Unique Selling Proposition (USP).
“High performance is about doing the RIGHT things well, and the right thing will depend on what your unique selling proposition is and what you promised as a brand to your user, to your customer.” — Scheila Farias
By framing work around user needs and business outcomes, teams avoid getting bogged down in meaningless metrics. Instead, they focus on what truly drives product success, ensuring they stay laser-focused on business impact rather than just completing tasks.
Scheila also stressed the importance of consistent, clear communication to align teams around a shared vision. By keeping the North Star front and center, team members remain connected to the broader company goals, leading to a more cohesive and results-oriented approach.
Evan Korth (NYU) mediated the panel in which Dave Kaplan (Alma), Scheila Farias (Ubiminds), and Randy Shepherd (ex-Giphy) offered invaluable perspectives on team leadership, organizational design, and fostering a collaborative culture. Photo by Thiago Reis.
How Diversity Helps Teams Build Better Products
Albeit it being important in itself, diverse teams aren’t just a moral or ethical priority—they lead to better products. Scheila emphasized that building remote-first teams with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds brings invaluable perspectives for problem-solving and understanding global markets.
“Having people from different parts of the world helps us understand what’s trending globally, and allows teams to design features that resonate with various markets.” — Scheila Farias
In today’s interconnected world, products are often used by people from vastly different cultures. Hiring a diverse team not only brings fresh ideas but also enables a deeper understanding of your user base.
Diversity creates a virtuous cycle where each person’s unique experience informs the product, making it more accessible and appealing to a global audience.
Why Inclusivity and Cultural Sensitivity Are Key to Unlocking Diversity’s Benefits
Diversity alone won’t lead to better products without a genuine commitment to inclusivity and cultural sensitivity. Scheila highlighted that managers must go beyond mere hiring practices that reduce bias and be open to foster an environment where every team member feels valued and understood.
“It’s not just about hiring people from diverse backgrounds; it’s about being open to understanding different thought processes. Leaders and hiring managers need to be open to understanding different thought processes and communication styles, especially when working with people who speak English as a second language.” — Scheila Farias
For effective management for remote-first teams, managers need to actively listen and adapt to these communication nuances to truly leverage the power of diversity. Cultural sensitivity ensures that everyone on the team feels comfortable contributing their ideas, and it helps prevent misunderstandings that can slow down or derail projects.
The Surprising Perk of Distributed Teams in the Same Time Zone: Structure and Efficiency
At first, remote-first team challenges can arise from a lack of spontaneous in-person communication, but structured processes and clear documentation help mitigate or altogether avoid these issues.
But one of the unexpected perks of working with distributed teams is the enhanced structure it forces on processes. Scheila explained that teams working remotely have to be more deliberate in their interactions and collaboration—an advantage that may not be as apparent in co-located teams.
“Distributed teams naturally emphasize better documentation and more structured processes, which ultimately lead to better long-term productivity, avoiding issues in legacy code, for instance.” — Scheila Farias
After all, distributed teams can’t rely on spontaneous hallway conversations to get things done, so they are forced to establish clearer processes and document decisions more thoroughly.
This streamlined communication helps reduce confusion and ensures that team members across different locations can collaborate more effectively, particularly when onboarding new employees or tackling complex, long-term projects.
When distributed teams operate within the same time zone, this clarity in communication and documentation is amplified—there’s less downtime due to scheduling conflicts, and collaboration can happen in real-time, making the team more agile and efficient.
What Remote Work Lacks: Spontaneous Camaraderie, and How to Make Up for It
Despite the many advantages of remote work, it lacks the spontaneous camaraderie of in-office environments. Scheila emphasized that in-person gatherings remain essential for fostering trust and morale in leading remote-first teams, helping build relationships that enhance virtual collaboration.
These gatherings help foster deeper personal connections that can take longer to achieve in a purely virtual setting.
“One of our clients wanted to prevent disconnect between remote team members from different countries. We helped them organize an in-person gathering in Brazil for people from Canada, the US, and Uruguay. It was incredible to see how the dynamics changed. Bringing people together face-to-face allowed them to share not just work-related insights but also personal stories, which significantly boosted team morale and trust.” — Scheila Farias
These gatherings don’t have to be frequent, but they play a crucial role in building team cohesion. Offsites and occasional meetups help remote teams bond on a personal level, allowing for deeper collaboration when working virtually.
Conclusion: Build Teams That Thrive—Across Borders
The truth about distributed teams goes beyond the surface benefits of remote work. With proper cultural sensitivity, thorough documentation, occasional in-person meetups, and clear communication, leaders can create teams that not only perform but thrive in a distributed environment.
Leaders who are successfully managing virtual teams focus on business outcomes, create inclusive environments, and leverage the diverse perspectives their teams bring to the table.
Join the Connecting the Americas community to learn more from industry leaders like Scheila Farias. If you’re looking to boost team performance with South American talent, reach out to Ubiminds for expert support in expanding your workforce across the Americas.
FAQ on Managing Remote-First Teams
Dad, Marketer, Salesman, Guitar Player. Self-starter, agile learner, and people-oriented, Thiago Reis is passionate about shaping the future of tech. Specialized in the Education Sector, previously excelling in Telecom, ISPs, and Digital Agencies.
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