“5 Behavioral Biases That Trip Up Remote Managers,

 
Tue 08 June 2021

 Beware of Biases When Managing Remotely

As many leaders have learned over the last year, managing a remote team is hard. When you’re not in the same physical space as your employees, you may jump to conclusions that you wouldn’t have if you were all in the office together. It’s important to watch out for common biases that can creep in. For example, people are more likely to rely on their own judgment and to forgo asking others for feedback when working remotely. As a result, the danger for confirmation bias — the self-rewarding ways we search for and interpret information that confirms our beliefs and values — increases. So encourage your employees to gather more points of view when working on a project, even if this prolongs the decision-making process. Similarly, keep an eye out for group-think. In virtual meetings, employees are often less willing to speak up, voice criticism, or question opinions, which can distort decision-making. You can counteract this tendency by encouraging critical discussions in breakout rooms before sharing insights with the whole team. This can help team members feel more comfortable speaking up.
This tip is adapted from “5 Behavioral Biases That Trip Up Remote Managers,” by Torben Emmerling et al.