Distributed Teams: A How-To Guide

I’ve been working remotely for many years.  Personally, it’s worked out well, but I must confess that my own work and my collaborations are not always as efficient and productive as I would like them to be.  I really wish that I had got my hands onto the book, Distributed Teams, by John O’Duinn, earlier in this journey.  The book was first published in 2018, but has recently been released in a new edition to account for the impacts of COVID-19 on distributed work.  As the book’s subtitle puts it, this is a guide to “the art and practice of working together while physically apart.”   While many of us would have benefited from reading this before the COVID-19 lockdowns, it’s still an excellent guide to effectively working in remote teams.  And, its relevance will remain, as many of us will likely remain working in situations that combine remote and in-person collaboration.  The book is easy to read and you can consume it in chunks that include a making the case for remote work, tips on how do it effectively (e.g. suggestions on office setup, email etiquette, etc.), and great advice on issues related to hiring, managing employees, building trust, and so on.  It’s a great hands-on reference source for our current and likely future state of work!