Leading a team comes with challenges. But, leading a remote team doubles those challenges and can be quite a demanding task. With your team members physically away, you could find it hard to keep them all on the same page and coordinate their performance successfully. This is why you need to build solid grounds for them to stand on and work from. A great team vision statement might just be the thing you need.

If you want your team to have something to inspire them and guide them, you should write a remote team vision statement. Luckily, we're here to help. Below, you'll find the tips and guidance points to help you write a killer remote team vision statement.

Let’s take a closer look.

What is a Team Vision Statement?

Before we dig any deeper into the writing process, we should define the notion of a team vision statement. What is it, and why do you need it so badly?

A team vision statement is:

-        a short sentence that summarizes and describes the purpose and the role of the team in accomplishing the company’s goals.

We could say that a team vision statement actually defines:

-        what is the team supposed to do

-        why are they doing it

-        what are they trying to achieve

The purpose of writing a team vision statement is to give your team something to believe in. It’ll help them see the bigger picture and understand their role in making something happen.

So, a team vision statement is there to guide, inspire, and motivate the team members.

Why Does a Remote Team Need a team Vision Statement?

Every team should have an inspiring team vision statement. But, remote teams may need it more than others.

This is because remote teams face numerous challenges:

-        lack of internal communication

-        misunderstandings

-        isolation and feeling of loneliness

-        lack of mentorship

Remote teams can easily fall off track, and individual members will be struggling on their own to figure things out. They need extra support and leadership that you should provide.

This is why a remote team vision statement can move mountains and contribute to improved team performance.

How to Write an Inspiring Remote Team Vision Statement?

Now that you understand the meaning and importance of a remote team vision statement, it’s time to look at the actual steps you’ll need to take.

The process of writing an excellent team vision statement requires you to take it one step at a time. Here's the strategy you should follow.

1.      Discuss With Your Team

Your company probably already has a vision statement. Your team members might or might not be aware of it.

You should open an online discussion about it with your team members and include them in the process of writing the team vision statement. Together, you should talk about:

-        the meaning of the company's vision statement

-        what they feel their main purpose is

-        the ideas they’d like to pitch in

Ask them to think about their roles in team projects, their experience in the company, or their passion for the job. You never know what might come out as a result of this discussion.

Make sure to write it all down and memorize the best ideas your team members shared.

2.      Define the Purpose

Your remote team vision statement needs to embrace several main ideas, but the most important one is your team’s purpose. This is why it’s a great starting point and the first thing you should define.

Think about:

-        the service you provide

-        your target audience

-        the impact you’re making

-        the reason why you’re here

Think about your ultimate goal and try to put it in one sentence. For example, a clothing brand could have the purpose to “make every person fashionable,” and a tech brand could aim to “make ordinary people extraordinary.”

This type of statement is the perfect basis for your team's vision statement, so make it count.

3.      Keep it Short

If you make your team's vision statement too elaborate, it will lose its power and charm. "A team vision statement needs to leave an impact and send the right message instantly", says Estelle Liotard, an editor and remote content writing manager at GetGoodGrade writing service.

That’s why you need to keep it short.

Ideally, it should be:

-        one sentence

-        up to 20 words long

-        easy to understand

If the team has to really try in order to understand the message of the vision statement, they’ll lose interest and won’t be able to relate.

So, keep things short and clear.

4.      Spread Enthusiasm

Your team vision statement needs to inspire enthusiasm with your team members working remotely. They need to feel like they’re all in it together, even though everyone's sitting at their computers far away from each other.

That means that you should include:

-        the passion for the job

-        commitment to achieving the goals

-        a positive attitude

-        motivation

Your team vision statement could include a phrase such as "we don't settle for anything less than perfect" or "we're devoted to every single customer."

It’s important to emphasize and spread the enthusiasm that your remote team members will feel and be inspired by. It will influence their performance positively and help them work harder and better.

5.      Be Realistic

A team vision statement is a way of setting a goal for the future and challenging yourself to go further and further. It’s a great way to inspire and motivate the team members, but you need to be careful. You don’t want to overdo it.

If you set an unrealistic goal in your team vision statement, you’ll be producing a counter effect:

-        team members will find it unrealistic and impossible to achieve

-        this will discourage and demotivate them

-        they’ll feel like their efforts are in vain

This is why your team vision statement shouldn’t go as far as saying “to be the number one fast-food brand in the world." Instead, focus on something more realistic such as “to sell great food and deliver an exceptional experience.”

6.      Ask Your Future Self

Finally, there’s one last step in the process of writing a killer remote team vision statement. You need to try and imagine talking to yourself and your team in ten or fifteen years.

What would you like to have accomplished? And, where do you see yourself if things run smoothly?

Answer these questions to finalize your team vision statement. It’ll be the spice you needed to make the whole thing stand and make a difference for the team.

Final Thoughts

Writing a team vision statement for a remote team is of utmost importance. You need to help them overcome the obstacle of physical distance and use the vision statement to tie them all together.

Hopefully, the tips shared above will inspire you and help you write a brilliant team vision statement for your team. Use them wisely, and don’t forget to reinforce this statement whenever you get the chance.