Business Management Future of Work

Running Remote: Master the Lessons from the World's Most Successful Remote-Work Pioneers (Summary)

by Liam Martin and Rob Rawson

Why do so many remote teams feel more burnt out than they did in the office? Because they're trapped in a digital version of the same old 9-to-5, chained to their webcams for endless, back-to-back meetings. The most successful remote companies have thrown out the traditional workday entirely, realizing that the true superpower of remote work isn't location independence, but time independence.

Your Team Isn't Remote, It's Just in a Digital Office

The biggest failure of the shift to remote is treating it like a physical office with longer commutes. True remote success comes from adopting an 'asynchronous-first' mindset, where real-time meetings are the exception, not the rule, freeing everyone from the tyranny of the shared calendar.

Instead of a one-hour brainstorming meeting on Zoom where the loudest voices dominate, a team at GitLab (a pioneering remote company) opens a detailed document. Everyone contributes their best ideas on their own schedule over 24-48 hours, leading to more thoughtful, inclusive, and well-documented outcomes.

Charisma Is a Liability in Remote Hiring

In a remote setting, the smooth talker who excels in in-person interviews can be a poor performer. The most critical skills are self-discipline, proactivity, and, above all, the ability to communicate with extreme clarity in writing.

The authors recommend giving candidates a paid, real-world project as part of the interview process. This tests their actual ability to deliver work independently and communicate asynchronously, rather than just their ability to 'perform' in a video call. Someone might be a great conversationalist but fail to document their process or ask clear questions in a shared document.

Your Company's Brain Should Be Written Down

In an office, you can get away with 'tribal knowledge' by tapping a colleague on the shoulder. In a remote company, undocumented processes create chaos. A single source of truth—a detailed, living handbook or wiki—is the central nervous system of the organization.

Companies like Zapier and Time Doctor maintain extensive internal wikis that document everything from the company's mission to how to submit an expense report. A new hire doesn't need to schedule a meeting to ask a basic question; the answer is documented, searchable, and available 24/7, enabling them to be productive from day one.

Deliberately Engineer Culture and Connection

Spontaneous social interaction is rare in a remote setup. Leaders must be intentional about creating opportunities for personal connection and reinforcing company values, moving beyond awkward virtual happy hours.

The team at Time Doctor has a dedicated Slack channel called #random where employees share pet photos and weekend plans. They also hold short, daily, non-work-related 'huddles' and organize annual in-person retreats, ensuring that personal bonds are built deliberately rather than being left to chance.

Go deeper into these insights in the full book:
Buy on Amazon
Listen to the full audio book with an Audible Free Trial.
As an Amazon Associate, qualifying purchases help support this site.