Logan Mallory of Motivosity On How To Communicate With Your Team Effectively Even If You Are Rarely In The Same Physical Space

Build Personal Relationships: Part of those 1 on 1 meetings should include time to build or strengthen your personal relationship with team members. I’m not suggesting anything inappropriate or that you become best friends, but when people know you care about them they’re more likely to stay engaged and stay with the company. Even if that’s just a few minutes at the beginning of a meeting to cover highlights, weekend plans, struggles they’re facing, or a show you share in common, spend that time so they know you “see” them.

We are living in a new world in which offices are becoming obsolete. How can teams effectively communicate if they are never together? Zoom and Slack are excellent tools, but they don’t replicate all the advantages of being together. What strategies, tools and techniques work to be a highly effective communicator, even if you are not in the same space?

In this interview series, we are interviewing business leaders who share the strategies, tools and techniques they use to effectively and efficiently communicate with their team who may be spread out across the world. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Logan Mallory.

Logan Mallory is the Vice President of Marketing at the leading employee engagement and recognition software, Motivosity. Mallory is a public speaker, professor, and thought leader on culture and leadership in the workplace to achieve employee retention. Motivosity helps companies promotes gratitude and connection in today’s digital era of work.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

My career began in sales, which created a powerful foundation as I moved into marketing. Marketing strategy was a more natural fit for me and allowed me to contribute to the business without the pressure of a monthly quota. I really found my

stride in technology and SaaS, and have worked for some great companies, though the products I helped market haven’t always been exciting. When the opportunity came up to run the marketing organization at Motivosity, I was so excited to finally be responsible for a product that was energizing and that end users were passionate about. It’s been a wonderful experience to create marketing plans around a fun, playful brand.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

Should I tell you the story about my boss who went to jail? Or the time I saved a woman from being mugged outside of Nordstrom? Or maybe the time I got fired, only to be rehired a few days later?

How about a quick and funny story? At Motivosity our company mascot is a really awesome looking Yeti. You see him on our website, in our collateral, we have t-shirts with his face on them, and we even have stuffed animal yetis that we give away at events. These aren’t just any stuffed animal though….they’re adorable. In order to get a yeti stuffed animal though, you have to win it. We bring a giant plinko board with us and one of the prizes is the stuffed animal. A few weeks ago at an event in New Orleans, we had a line of 50+ people waiting to play plinko and I watched a grown woman cry when her plinko chip landed in the stuffed animal slot. I loved that experience because it helped me realize how powerful of a brand we had created.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

I’m a huge fan of the TV show Ted Lasso. In one scene Ted, the main character, quotes Walt Witman and says, “Be curious, not judgemental”. We live in a world where everyone is so quick to judge, to take a stance without understanding another’s circumstances. That quote helps me to be a bit more mindful when interacting with others and causes me to pause before I make a judgment. It leads me to ask questions, to explore, and to be a bit more patient. Being curious gives me a healthy place to live and lead from.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I’ve been lucky to have wonderful mentors for the majority of my life. I put myself through college by working for a family owned retail and publication business. I started in their warehouse shipping boxes between classes, but quickly the owners gave me a shot at selling advertising space for their bi-monthly magazine. That’s where Matt Kennedy became one of my mentors. He taught me about sales, business, and entrepreneurship.

At one point in my time there, a large client completely ghosted me and stopped advertising with us. I found out eventually that he refused to do business with us because he didn’t like me and had told the owner that I was like “a used car salesman.” That feedback crushed me. I was distraught and emotionally shut down for a few weeks. Matt, seeing me in a slump, took the time to share a valuable lesson. He essentially said, “You’re going to be criticized and people will talk bad about you for the rest of your career. You need to do one of two things: Be mature enough to analyze the criticism. If it’s accurate, make a change. If it’s inaccurate, move on”. He coached me through how all of our other customers loved working with me and I recovered from that specific comment. I’ve used that council countless times since then and am grateful that Matt invested his time in me so early in my career.

Ok wonderful. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. The pandemic has changed so many things about the way we behave. One of them, of course, is how we work and how we communicate in our work. Many teams have started working remotely. Working remotely can be very different than working with a team that is in front of you. This provides great opportunity but it can also create unique challenges. To begin, can you articulate for our readers a few of the main benefits of having a team physically together?

Even though most of us love the idea of being remote, there are some major benefits of having a team physically together. The most impactful is creating a sense of connection between your team members. When you feel connected to those you work with, you’re more likely to put forth your best effort. No one wants to leave friends or good co workers in a tight spot, but if it’s just someone you’ve seen over zoom once or twice you don’t have that same level of commitment.

Teams that work in the same space have more opportunities to build those connections. It also creates more awareness of the efforts and wins happening across teams or departments. Scheduling is often easier and there’s a deeper sense of trust when companies are in person.

As humans we’re motivated and better contributors when we feel connected to our peers. Just look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: we all need the basics like a paycheck, health benefits, a safe place to work, but if we really want the best out of people (which Maslow referred to as self-actualization) then relationships are the key. Your connection with peers, co-workers, leaders, etc. are so important when it comes to reaching our highest potential. If we’re physically together, the chances of that being possible increases.

On the flip side, can you articulate for our readers a few of the main challenges that arise when a team is not in the same space?

When you’re not in the same place as your coworkers, you’re less likely to develop meaningful relationships with them. If you’re not connected with people at work, it’s almost certain that your engagement will decrease, which leads to turnover.

Communication can break down leaving team members to feel even more isolated than they really are. We all desire a sense of accomplishment, and sometimes being separated makes that impossible. Finally, we have to work really hard to be honest with our employers when we’re remote. It’s easy to take a longer lunch, do some laundry, grab another snack…though we shouldn’t have to work every second of the day, being separated opens the door to a lot of distractions and people should be upfront with themselves about how much they are or aren’t contributing.

Fantastic. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your experience, what can one do to address or redress each of those challenges? What are your “5 Things You Need To Know To Communicate With Your Team Effectively Even If You Are Rarely In The Same Physical Space ? (Please share a story or example for each.)

Remote or in office both have advantages and It’s not impossible to make either scenario successful. You just need to take a very intentional approach to make sure you communicate consistently and on the right items. Here’s some tips that may be helpful, especially if you’re rarely in the same physical space:

1. Meet with Individuals Consistently: If you’re going to be successful as a leader, remote or not, you need to treat your team members like individuals. There’s no better way to do this than to spend time with them in a 1 on 1 situation. Even if it’s only 15 minutes and every other week, make sure you invest that time. It shows people that THEY matter and helps them to feel seen within an organization. It’s estimated that 70% of an employee’s engagement level is based on the quality of the relationship with their manager, so it’s clearly a big deal.

I meet with my team members twice a month in a 1 on 1. I have 7 direct reports, so it’s a substantial time

investment, but gives me a great opportunity to remove their roadblocks, provide clarity on projects, prioritize their efforts and get feedback from them on things they may see that I don’t. I’ve been told that 1 on 1 meetings have been some of the most meaningful interactions because the time is customized to their needs, projects and career growth.

I meet with my CEO frequently and even though we have a positive relationship it can be a nerve wracking experience. Early in my time at Motivosity we had a one on one and afterwards I received a note of appreciation from him that said, “Logan, I’m thrilled with where you’re taking marketing. It’s like we’re the new Justice League.” I read his note, looked off pensively at the corner and thought to myself, “I AM the batman of marketing!” That one on one experience completely changed my relationship with him from that point forward.

2. Build Personal Relationships: Part of those 1 on 1 meetings should include time to build or strengthen your personal relationship with team members. I’m not suggesting anything inappropriate or that you become best friends, but when people know you care about them they’re more likely to stay engaged and stay with the company. Even if that’s just a few minutes at the beginning of a meeting to cover highlights, weekend plans, struggles they’re facing, or a show you share in common, spend that time so they know you “see” them.

I’ve worked with the same person at three different companies over the last six years. We’ve worked together very closely and it’s one of the most important work relationships I’ve had. At one point this team member approached me about another job opportunity that they were interested in. I didn’t want to lose this team member, but also wanted them to be successful and in the best spot for them. Because we had a personal connection that wasn’t all work all the time, I was able to step back and provide some objective advice. That wouldn’t have been possible, or at least as easy, if we strictly had a manager to employee relationship. (He ended up staying on the team and we’ve continued to work together. He’s an amazing contributor!)

3. Find Ways to Listen: Part of communicating successfully is listening to your team members. Especially if you aren’t seeing them consistently, you need a way to make sure they have the chance to express themselves and that they are heard. You miss some of the non-verbal hints about how they’re feeling if you aren’t in person, so find a tool or platform that will let them speak up.

Some leaders make the mistake of assuming that an “all hands” or company wide meeting provides that opportunity. The reality is, most employees don’t feel secure or comfortable enough to voice their concerns. They might think they’re the only one with that specific issue, be afraid to come off as negative, or not want to put their leadership in a tight position. So don’t expect them to ask for what they want or need in front of all their peers.

Instead, find some sort of platform where they can speak up freely. You might get concerns about major things like team members who aren’t pulling their weight or managers or aren’t communicating well. You may hear about “small” issues like the broken ice machine or snacks in the break room. Whatever the topic is, you have two good options to choose from: Either acknowledge that you heard them and give them what they asked for, or acknowledge that you heard them and tell them why you can’t accommodate their request. Maybe it’s timing, maybe it’s budget, maybe it’s someone’s allergies, just tell them the reason.

4. Celebrate Wins: Everyone wants to feel successful. We’re more deeply engaged at work when we feel like what we’re doing matters, that it has a positive impact, and that others recognize our accomplishments. That’s why it’s so important for companies and leaders to celebrate the wins happening throughout the organization. Celebrate people often. A quarterly MVP award that employees may or may not win is insufficient because it leaves so many people feeling unappreciated for what they’ve done.

Take time to highlight wins before meetings. Celebrate when someone breaks a record, launches a new program or solves a customer success problem. Some have an old school approach and think that “a paycheck is all the thanks our employees need”, but that doesn’t work any more.

I recently saw an employee recognize a team member for doing their normal day job. This individual was at the office late on a Friday afternoon, overheard a sales rep on a call and sent him a message that said, “Closing out the week with a demo that I’m LOVING listening to. I’ve been excited to hear the way you connect with the prospect, communicate our messaging, and make it easy for her to understand.” That’s literally what he’s paid to do, but imagine how he felt after reading that. He benefited, she benefited as the “giver” and the entire company benefited from witnessing such a positive cultural interaction. (We use Motivosity for employee recognition efforts!)

You don’t have to be in person to celebrate wins. In fact, if you’re not together physically, it’s even more important to recognize and appreciate those you work with.

5. Empower Peer to Peer Recognition: I recently listened to a speaker address the idea of “the iceberg of ignorance.” The concept is this: the higher up you are within management, the less you truly know what’s happening within the organization. It’s impossible for the CEO to understand every person, process or feeling within their company. But the closer you are to being an individual contributor, the more exposure you have to what’s really happening in the company. This is partially meant with a negative tone, meaning the executive leaders don’t know the bad things or trouble that may be occurring.

The same holds true for the positive things happening within an organization too! There’s no way an executive or senior leader has the capacity to see all the great events happening at a company, let alone celebrate them! So, regardless of where your team members work, empower a peer to peer recognition approach. It’s like recruiting all of your team to recognize and celebrate the good happening. It creates a gratitude centric culture, which leads to happier and more connected employees. When employees feel that type of environment at work, they are less likely to quit and more likely to put forth their best effort.

Has your company experienced communication challenges with your workforce working from home during the pandemic? For example, does your company allow employees to use their own cell phones or do they use the company’s phone lines for work? Can you share any other issues that came up?

I changed roles and companies mid-pandemic, so I was able to experience communication in two different environments. One was a large global company that was fully remote (and still primarily is), the other was a local startup where many of the team members went into the office once formal lockdowns had passed.

The larger organization responded in a wonderfully responsible way. The CEO held frequent meetings across the company, increased transparency and didn’t

limit his topics just to work. I was grateful for the very hands on approach this leader of a 4,000 employee company took.

The smaller organization had little pushback — the communication was easier because there was a limited number of people so the messages were easier to deliver and receive. I think all communications challenges are solved by taking an intentional approach.

Let’s zoom in a bit. Many tools have been developed to help teams coordinate and communicate with each other. In your personal experiences which tools have been most effective in helping to replicate the benefits of being together in the same space?

Clearly nothing was more impactful than web conferencing. GoToMeeting and Zoom opened up doors I hadn’t considered before. Suddenly I was attending church meetings digitally and worshiping “with” others even though I wasn’t physically at the church building. (Happy to be back in person now!) I started playing Sunday night games with my family that’s spread across the country. As a public speaker, it was now easier for me to join a group virtually rather than having to catch a flight.

I mentioned earlier the job change I made during the pandemic. I accepted a role with Motivosity, a platform that connects team members and helps build cultures — even in remote environments. It’s a wonderful tool that allows employees to recognize, connect, understand, and build relationships with those they work with. Maybe it’s people they’ve known for a long time, a new hire, or a group that came in via acquisition…Motivosity helps keep them connected. I joined the company in part because I recognized how important this tool would be in a world where remote work was so prevalent.

Volley is an amazing communication tool. Think of it as “Marco Polo for business.” Their website describes the tool as, “a video messaging app that makes it possible to talk face-to-face flexibly. It’s the killer app for coaching, community, and collaboration.” Check it out if you haven’t!

And thank goodness for Google docs. To have a tool where I can collaborate with my team in real time is life changing.

If you could design the perfect communication feature or system to help your business, what would it be?

If I could combine the superpowers of Gong, Motivosity and Slack, then our communication would be unstoppable!

The technology is rapidly evolving and new tools like VR, AR, and Mixed Reality are being developed to help bring remote teams together in a shared virtual space. Is there any technology coming down the pipeline that excites you?

VR training is a concept that I think will gain widespread acceptance in the near future. Imagine being able to train someone for a role in a completely safe environment that didn’t increase overhead expenses. Some of those training sessions might be simple: teaching a barista how to make a cup of coffee or a prep-cook at a restaurant how to prepare certain meals. But imagine if an airplane mechanic could learn in a virtual experience! Or a bomb technician that could train and study without the risk of harm.

As VR becomes more common and engineers create more realistic environments, I think we’ll see companies use these technologies to train their talent more frequently.

Is there a part of this future vision that concerns you? Can you explain?

The more we rely on technology, the more divided we seem to become. We forget that there are people on the other end of the computer. We disregard their significance, we judge instead of being curious, we assume the worst. The more disconnected we are because of technology, the less likely we are to lead with a kind approach. Though technology has incredible benefits, it seems there’s a cost too.

So far we have discussed communication within a team. How has the pandemic changed the way you interact and engage your customers? How much of your interactions have moved to digital such as chatbots, messaging apps, phone, or video calls?

We absolutely leverage chat bots to get customers or prospects to the right team, but that’s only our initial approach. We want to engage and connect with our customers, so once we know they’re in the right department we have humans take over.

Suddenly we’re much more comfortable with supply chain issues, canceled flights, prices increasing, etc. But customers still want to feel valued. Though we’re not perfect, we do our best to honor that.

In my experience, one of the trickiest parts of working with a remote team is giving honest feedback, in a way that doesn’t come across as too harsh. If someone is in front of you much of the nuance can be picked up in facial expressions and body language. But not when someone is remote. Can you give a few suggestions about how to best give constructive criticism to a remote team member?

You’re more willing to accept feedback from a coach than from someone you dislike, which emphasizes the importance of being a mentor, not just a manager. Mentors watch out for people, they have their best interest in mind. If someone like that gives you insights about how to improve, you’ll probably listen. If you have a micro-manager that gives feedback, you’re likely to resist.

Also, share the feedback in a timely manner. It’s easy to delay providing feedback because it’s uncomfortable and awkward. There’s significant value in sharing the feedback quickly after the issue happens.

Finally, remember that favorite quote of mine? “Be curious, not judgemental.” Feedback will be more impactful if you understand the person’s situations than if you just make assumptions. It might help you to ask a few questions and understand their perspective before you start throwing advice their way.

Can you give any specific ideas about how to create a sense of camaraderie and team cohesion when you are not physically together?

I mentioned this as part of my 5 recommendations, but it’s worth discussing again. Camaraderie can be difficult when there’s distance between people. (It can be difficult when you’re together too, depending on the group!) You might not have shared interests. Time zones make it tricky to connect. Body language and social queues are lost or misinterpreted.

One way to create a cohesive group is to recognize the successes people around you are having. Start each meeting discussing a win. Highlight great results or people living corporate values in all hands. Send out an email with a few accomplishments each week. When you create a culture where people look for the good and then recognize it, it will change your team members. They will actively search for the positive instead of the negative. Everytime someone is celebrated, they feel a deeper sense of connection with the person that said “thank you”.

You don’t have to be physically together to tell someone they did a good job and that you appreciate them, yet it’s still one of the most powerful ways to unify a team.

Ok wonderful. We are nearly done. Here is our last “meaty” question. You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Last year I lost a nephew to cancer. He was so young and spent more than half of his life in hospitals for treatment. Owen lived in Atlanta and the community there truly rallied around him. Two organizations in the area were particularly meaningful to him and his family. One was Aurora Day Camp “which brings the simple pleasures of childhood back to children struggling with cancer, changing months of loneliness and isolation into moments filled with sunshine, laughter and happiness.” Owen spent lots of time at that camp with his siblings and it provided some meaningful happiness for his family.

The other organization is Atlanta United, the MLS team in Georgia. They welcomed Owen to games, special events and made him part of their community and family. To honor him, Atlanta United’s Conquer Kid program was recently renamed the Owen Klemme Conquer Kids and they wrote a powerful piece about my nephew. (https:// www.atlutd.com/news/behind-the-stripes/owen-klemme-family)

If I could inspire a movement, it would be in support of organizations that make life meaningful for the kids and families that suffer through cancer. It’s unbearable and the outreach makes a difference.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn and readers can find my profile here: https:// www.linkedin.com/in/loganmallory/. I also write consistently on Motivosity’s resource center about company culture, employee engagement and leadership. You can find that content at https://www.motivosity.com/resources/.

Thank you so much for the time you spent doing this interview. This was very inspirational, and we wish you continued success.

So glad to get to spend some time with you!