5 Productivity Hacks by Barbara Corcoran to Maintain Team Performance While Working from Home
In today’s rapidly evolving business world, the shift to remote work has brought both opportunities and challenges. While the flexibility of working from home can increase work-life balance and productivity for some, for others, it can lead to distractions, lack of focus, and difficulty staying connected with the team. One entrepreneur who has mastered the art of remote team management is Barbara Corcoran, a real estate mogul, businesswoman, and Shark Tank investor. Known for her sharp business acumen and ability to lead successful teams, Corcoran has developed specific strategies to maintain her team’s productivity, even when they are working from home.
Here, we will explore five of Barbara Corcoran’s most effective productivity hacks to ensure that her remote team stays focused, motivated, and productive.
1. Clear Communication Channels: Setting Expectations Early
One of Corcoran’s key strategies for ensuring productivity within her remote team is creating clear and open communication channels. When working remotely, it is easy for communication to become fragmented, leading to misunderstandings or confusion about what is expected from team members. To avoid this, Corcoran encourages regular, transparent communication about goals, deadlines, and priorities.
Corcoran emphasizes that her team needs to know exactly what is expected of them and how they can contribute to the company’s success. To achieve this, she encourages the use of specific tools, such as Slack, Zoom, or even daily stand-up meetings, to keep everyone on the same page.
- Actionable Tip: Make sure that your remote team knows what they need to do, how often they need to communicate, and what tools or platforms they should use. This helps eliminate ambiguity and ensures team members stay aligned with company goals.
By setting clear communication guidelines from the start, Corcoran ensures her team is not left guessing about their tasks. Additionally, she makes sure there are regular check-ins to address any issues or questions, which fosters an open-door policy for remote employees.
2. Fostering Accountability with Regular Check-Ins
One of the challenges of remote work is that employees may feel less accountable for their tasks without the direct supervision of a manager. Corcoran combats this by scheduling regular check-ins with her team, which not only helps maintain accountability but also provides a forum for feedback and improvement.
Regular check-ins are not just for evaluating progress; they also provide a chance for employees to voice concerns or suggest improvements to the workflow. By keeping these sessions frequent and consistent, Corcoran ensures that no one falls through the cracks and that problems are addressed before they snowball into larger issues.
- Actionable Tip: Implement weekly or bi-weekly one-on-one meetings with each team member to review their progress and discuss any obstacles they may be facing. This ensures that employees remain focused and that their concerns are heard.
Corcoran suggests using these check-ins to reinforce the company’s mission and values, ensuring that employees feel connected to the larger vision and understand their role in achieving it. This builds a sense of purpose and accountability among remote workers, making them more motivated to stay on track.
3. Encouraging Flexibility and Autonomy
Barbara Corcoran believes that the key to maintaining productivity remotely is giving employees the autonomy to manage their own schedules. She recognizes that every team member works differently, so imposing rigid schedules or micromanaging can lead to frustration and burnout. Instead, Corcoran trusts her team members to manage their time effectively.
By offering flexibility, Corcoran allows her employees to work at their own pace, as long as deadlines are met and the work quality remains high. This trust boosts morale and empowers employees to take ownership of their tasks. The flexibility to work when and where they feel most productive encourages creativity and reduces stress, which ultimately leads to higher performance.
- Actionable Tip: Implement flexible working hours that give employees the freedom to balance work with personal commitments. This approach allows workers to manage their productivity according to their natural energy cycles, which can lead to better results.
Corcoran encourages her team to find the rhythm that works best for them, whether that means working early in the morning, during a quiet afternoon, or even in the evening. This type of autonomy makes employees feel trusted and valued, which is essential for fostering a positive remote work culture.
4. Building a Strong Team Culture Remotely
A strong company culture is crucial for employee engagement and productivity, even when working from home. Corcoran ensures that her remote team feels connected to one another and to the company’s values, even from afar. She does this by promoting team-building activities that create a sense of camaraderie and belonging.
Corcoran uses virtual happy hours, online games, and team challenges to build relationships among team members, making sure they stay engaged with each other. These activities are not only fun but also serve as a reminder that the team is more than just a group of remote workers—they are a family working toward a common goal.
- Actionable Tip: Organize virtual team-building activities, such as online games, trivia contests, or virtual coffee breaks, to strengthen the sense of community within your remote team.
Corcoran also emphasizes the importance of celebrating wins, whether big or small. Recognizing accomplishments, whether in team meetings or through social media shout-outs, motivates employees and boosts morale. A positive, supportive work environment is key to maintaining productivity.
5. Investing in Tools and Technology for Better Collaboration
The foundation of a productive remote team lies in the right tools and technology. Barbara Corcoran believes that providing the best possible resources for her team enables them to perform at their best. She invests in software and tools that streamline workflow, improve communication, and enhance collaboration among remote workers.
Tools like project management software (e.g., Trello, Asana, or Monday.com), cloud storage (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox), and communication platforms (e.g., Zoom, Slack) are integral to the smooth operation of Corcoran’s remote team. By utilizing these tools, Corcoran ensures that team members have easy access to the resources they need to do their work efficiently.
- Actionable Tip: Invest in software and digital tools that make collaboration and communication easier. Choose tools that match your team’s specific needs and ensure they are trained on how to use them.
Corcoran believes that the right tools not only make remote work more efficient but also foster a sense of belonging. By creating a tech-enabled environment that supports collaboration and access to information, remote employees can stay productive, engaged, and connected.
Conclusion
In the ever-changing landscape of remote work, the strategies employed by Barbara Corcoran provide valuable lessons for business leaders aiming to keep their teams productive, motivated, and aligned with company goals. By focusing on clear communication, fostering accountability, promoting autonomy, strengthening team culture, and investing in the right tools, Corcoran has successfully maintained a high level of performance within her remote team.
These productivity hacks are not only applicable to real estate but can be adapted to virtually any industry. By implementing these strategies, leaders can empower their remote teams to thrive, even in challenging circumstances. Ultimately, the key to successful remote work lies in building trust, staying connected, and providing the necessary resources to help teams succeed.