Tokyo CEO faces delays as remote team grapples with mental health
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — Managing employees across continents is never simple, as Jerry, a Tokyo-based CEO, recently discovered.
Jerry leads a far-flung team with department heads in Virginia, Texas, and Italy, each managing their own virtual teams.
His policy is clear: respond to internal communications within 24 hours. Yet, when Jerry needed an urgent update on the company’s largest account, he faced silence.
After giving Marie, his head of sales in Virginia, nearly eight hours to respond, Jerry waited three workdays before following up. “What’s the word on the Providence account?” he emailed.
Marie replied within minutes, apologizing and explaining, “I haven’t heard back from Kellen, the account executive. Let me ping him.” But another day passed with no follow-up.
Frustration mounts as delays continue
Jerry’s patience dwindled as the days passed. “Why can’t she get him to respond?” he wondered, questioning if this was a broader management issue.
When he finally called Marie, she answered immediately but still had no update. She revealed that Kellen, her account executive in India, had recently experienced a breakup that had derailed his previously strong performance.
Marie faced a dilemma: she wanted to push Kellen for answers but was wary of worsening his mental health. “She knows that mental health issues are at the forefront for Generation Z,” the account notes, and Kellen had been open about his struggles.
Navigating personal and professional needs
With the company’s largest account at stake, Jerry advised Marie to consider who could cover for Kellen or to step in herself. He also recommended that Marie consult HR and consider offering Kellen time off, recognizing that “it has been a month: that’s a long time for Kellen to be performing nominally at work!”
Ultimately, Marie checked in with Kellen during their next one-on-one. He admitted he needed an open-ended mental break. Marie arranged for the payroll and benefits manager to contact him and personally took over the Providence account. Six weeks later, Kellen resigned to become a safari guide in South Africa.
Lessons for virtual managers
This episode highlights the unique challenges of managing remote teams:
- Be persistent in uncovering the reasons for delays.
- Separate performance issues from personal struggles.
- Use Performance Improvement Plans judiciously.
- Accept that sensitive management may still result in losing valued employees.
In a virtual world, deft leadership and empathy are essential to keeping teams and business on track.
