GitHub’s CTO Jason Warner on Managing Remote Teams
Editor’s note: This post originally appeared on the Unusual blog.
As the severity of COVID-19 became more apparent, states across the country responded by mandating shelter-in-place policies. With 97% of Americans under such orders, companies were forced to become fully remote organizations overnight. This rapid transition presents unique challenges for teams attempting to remain productive, while promoting employee well-being under such abnormal circumstances.
For early stage companies in particular, real-time collaboration is often paramount as these startups work to build the foundations of their businesses. Our Venture Partner and current CTO of GitHub, Jason Warner, has been fully remote even before shelter-in-place orders went into effect, having managed remote teams for over 10 years. We knew we could turn to him to offer a unique perspective. Jason recently hosted a virtual AMA with our founders and shared many valuable insights related to leading during trying times.
Last week, we shared Part 1 of Jason’s AMA where we highlighted his key takeaways related to leading under stress, including navigating the macro environment, adapting GTM strategy, and communication and information sharing. Today, we’re excited to share Part 2 of Jason’s AMA, which focuses on managing remote teams and covers:
- How to hire in a remote environment
- Suggestions for collaboration tools for distributed teams
- How to manage remotely
- Book recommendations that have helped shape his own views on leading high-impact teams
Both Part 1 and Part 2 of Jason’s AMA can be found in the Leadership chapter of our newly launched Field Guide. As we mentioned previously, we will continue to add resources to help guide founders during this difficult time. If there are any resources in particular that would be especially valuable to you as a founder, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
