You're working with a remote team in Event Production. How can you adapt to the challenges of collaboration?

1 Define your goals and roles

One of the first steps to successful remote collaboration is to have a clear and shared vision of what you want to achieve with your event, and how each team member will contribute to it. You should define your goals, objectives, and expectations for the event, and assign roles and responsibilities to each team member. This will help you avoid confusion, duplication, or gaps in your work, and ensure that everyone knows what they are accountable for and how they can support each other.

2 Choose your tools and platforms

When collaborating remotely, it is essential to choose the right tools and platforms to communicate, share, and manage your work. Your selection should be based on your event needs, budget, and preferences. Additionally, the tools should be easy to use and access for your team. Popular tools and platforms for remote collaboration in Event Production include video conferencing tools like Zoom, Skype, or Google Meet; cloud-based storage and sharing tools such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive; project management tools like Asana, Trello, or Basecamp; collaboration tools such as Slack, Teams, or WhatsApp; and event management tools like Eventbrite, Hopin, or Bizzabo.

3 Establish your communication norms

Communication is essential for any team, but especially for a remote one. It’s important to establish your communication norms and protocols with your team, such as how often and when you will communicate with each other, which channels and tools you will use, who should receive work status updates and issues, how feedback, suggestions, and recognition will be given and received, how conflicts and disagreements will be handled, and how you will celebrate your achievements, milestones, and successes.

4 Build your trust and rapport

Working with a remote team can be challenging, as it is harder to build trust and rapport without face-to-face interactions. Nevertheless, trust and rapport are essential for successful remote collaboration, as they promote a sense of belonging, engagement, and motivation. To foster trust and rapport with your remote team, you can show interest and empathy for your team members, be transparent and honest about your work and expectations, be respectful and supportive of their contributions, and have fun conversations with them. You can also create opportunities for socializing and bonding through virtual coffee breaks, games, or quizzes.