Thriving on Remote Teams: An Engineer's Responsibility
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After leading remote engineering teams for over a decade, I have observed some consistent patterns that distinguish high-performing distributed teams from those that struggle. Today I am launching a new series of posts to share the insights and strategies that have proven effective across diverse teams and organizations.
A Core Truth about Remote Work
In March 2020, I onboarded a new DevOps engineer two weeks after our company transitioned to fully remote operations due to COVID-19. Our in-person interaction consisted of a single laptop pickup.
Technical skill did not make this engineer exceptional; his approach to remote communication did. He proactively broadcast his thoughts, plans, and progress before I thought to ask. I never wondered about his priorities or progress because he shared everything so transparently and consistently.
This experience crystallized for me a fundamental truth about remote work: proactive engagement defines success.
Without spontaneous hallway conversations and impromptu whiteboard sessions, we must intentionally create visibility, build relationships, and foster connection through deliberate communication practices.
In exchange for the benefits of working remotely, a remote team member incurs a reciprocal obligation to over-index towards communication.
The Remote Engineer’s True Responsibility
As an engineer on a remote team, you might assume writing code constitutes your primary responsibility. However, as Woody Zuill aptly notes, “the hard part of engineering is not typing.” Your fundamental responsibility, especially in remote environments, involves communication, alignment, initiative, and accountability. These elements form the foundation upon which all technical contributions depend.
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Take Extra Initiative to Participate
Remote work demands heightened personal agency. Scan team channels for discussions where you can contribute value. Make your calendar accessible and deliberately create opportunities for collaboration.
The most effective remote engineers I know operate as communication nodes rather than terminals; they connect people, ideas, and solutions across physical and digital boundaries.
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Overcommunicate
In distributed teams, work can become invisible without intentional exposure. Document your process. Share work early, often, and before it is “ready”. Ask for feedback. Provide frequent and meaningful status updates. Comment substantively in tickets. Speak up during meetings.
In remote environments, silence creates a vacuum that others fill with assumptions. Regular transparent communication builds trust and prevents concerns about productivity or engagement from taking root.
Contributing Remotely to a Culture of Excellence
The most effective remote engineers understand that virtual environments demand a fundamental recalibration of how we approach visibility, communication, and collaboration. They take ownership not just of technical output but of their presence within the team ecosystem.
These practices do not just benefit individuals; they transform entire teams. When everyone on a team commits to these principles, remote collaboration can actually surpass co-located effectiveness through more thoughtful documentation, more inclusive communication, and more deliberate relationship building.
What remote work practices transformed your team’s effectiveness?
This marks the first in a series on building exceptional remote engineering teams.