ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°149 - Juillet/Août 2013 - 59

CarriÈre
By Emmanuelle LEON et Monique CUMIN (88)

Managing people
remotely
*

Emmanuelle LEON, professor of Human Resource Management at
ESCP Europe, is an academic expert on remote management.
Monique CUMIN (88) has led international teams remotely for more
than 20 years. She is now an executive coach. Managing people who
are based in different locations, or even different countries, has
become a reality for a growing number of executives.

In what ways do you need to adapt your
management style when you lead people
remotely?
EL: Remote management will not function efficiently if objectives have not been properly defined.
However, if reaching objectives is the only priority,
if interactions between the managers and their
subordinates are solely focused on their achievement, the managerial relationship may end up in
being purely contractual. Being remote nowadays
does not mean being autonomous; technologies
and reporting can lead to micro-management,
even at a distance. Remote management is efficient when trust is involved; managers need to
evaluate whether they need to control or not their
subordinates’ work.
you have mentioned trust. How do you
establish trust with somebody you hardly
ever see?
MC: Most companies have realized that 100% virtual relationships do not really work; this means that
some face to face interaction is needed in order to
sincerely get to know your colleague at a personal
level, even if it is only a few times per year.
In my experience, it is also critical for the boss to
find the right balance between a controlling and
a supporting role, by offering a fresh perspective,
opening doors to higher ups, giving best practices
from other countries, coaching and giving feedback. Control is better accepted if the remote
manager is perceived to add value to the local
business.
In order to do that, the remote boss should be
prepared to show genuine concern for his report’s

environment, for example by asking to do
market visits and meeting personally with key
clients or customers.
How do you evaluate performance in
such a context?
EL: Assessing performance has never proven to be an easy task! Once objectives
have been defined -and understood- regular
interactions (both formal and informal) will be
key. Remote managers can also rely on feedbacks from others who work with their subordinates, and should try and partner with local
managers as well. However, this will work if
the managerial relationship lasts more than 6
months, and will depend on the number of
subordinates one has to lead!

Emmanuelle Léon

In some cases, cultural differences bring
additional challenges to geographic
distance. How do you handle that?
MC: when I was in Thailand, I was leading
marketing teams based in Thailand, Vietnam
and Philippines, each with their own management styles driven by very different cultures.
Being aware of these differences is already
a first, crucial step towards better mutual understanding. Showing empathy, respect and
trying to understand the local business environment are simple rules which seem obvious
but are often forgotten by line managers who
are based in another country.
●
*A conference from the Alumni Forum of
13 June 2013.

Monique Cumin

ESCP Europe Magazine N° 149 - Juillet/Août 2013 -

Table des matières de la publication ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°149 - Juillet/Août 2013

Couverture
Zapping
Sommaire
BUSINESS
Personnalités du mois Cyril ZIMMERMANN (94) : Un avenir prometteur
Focus
L'appel du numérique
E-learning
Innovation, innovation…
Data is gold
Speed and risk
La fin du e-commerce
Photo réussie !
Managing queues
A win-win situation
The fabulous box
A gateway to Brazil
Itinéraires
Changez vos ampoules !
Grands crus
Manger bon, frais et sain
Entretiens
Maroc
Nouvelles technologies
Cloud
NEWS
Vie du réseau
Etienne PREVOST (MSE 94), Directeur du Who's Who in France
Nominations
Alumni Forum 2013
Groupe Centre
Groupe ESCP Europe au Féminin
Groupe Normandie
Groupe Seniors Actifs
Premier week-end de ski
Agenda/Carnet
À lire
Carrière
Réseaux sociaux, nouvel outil de votre carrière
Managing people remotely
Voyages En voiture !
CAMPUS
École Launching a business in the digital area
Fondation Soutenir les nouvelles générations
Vie étudiante
Toutes voiles dehors !
Changeons nous-mêmes l'éducation !
Let's celebrate curiosity!

ESCP Europe Alumni Magazine - n°149 - Juillet/Août 2013