Episode 169: Is Your Remote Team All it Can Be? Tips from Claudia St. John

“Your job used to be checking on status orders, checking on products, or checking on delivery; now, it should be checking in regularly with your team.” - Claudia St. John

Most of us thought, at first, that this work from home experience would be temporary, but now we know it’s going to be longer than we thought, moreover, many of us are deciding that we will continue to work remotely, some permanently.

Forrester research wrote that  “For B2B sales, change has been a long time coming, and the hardships brought forth by COVID-19 have acted as accelerants. The downward trajectory of the onsite sales meeting, the convergence of inside and outside sales … all of these trends, coupled with the impact of the pandemic, mean there is no going back to what once was.” 

Now that we know that this is here to stay and moreover, as we look to 2021 as the year when we have to make some tough decision about whether to be in the office or change our infrastructure to offer remote options, we’re facing more challenges ahead. And all the while, we’re struggling with optimizing and supporting our remote teams.

Which is why we’re glad that Claudia St. John is a friend of ours and back with us today to talk about:

  • How to amp our remote teams

  • Improving our communication and personalizing our workflows to the individual

  • What to do when the rhythm of working together is offbeat and underperforming

  • Why you should change your leadership style from listening to understanding

  • The MacGyver approach to policy

  • What the hell we do with PTO and vacation now


Claudia St. John is the President of Affinity HR Group, an HR and management consulting firm. Claudia is a consultant, professionally-accredited HR executive, and speaker. She is passionate about communication, engagement, and team development. She is the author of Transforming Teams – Tips for Improving Collaboration and Building Trust, an Amazon #1 Hot New Release. Claudia has a master's degree in business and public policy from The George Washington University School of Business and an undergraduate degree in human resources and employee benefits from American University.

 Additional resources:

commonsku is software specifically designed for the promotional products industry. It's a CRM, Order Management, and eCommerce platform wrapped up in one sophisticated hub. With software that intuitively connects distributors and suppliers, commonsku is like a breath of fresh air for your team. Learn more at commonsku.com

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