clipped from www.bnet.com

Things you will need:

• Travel budget: Plan to see employees at least a few times a year. Technology budget: Don’t fall for every fad, but plan to add new tools as they gain traction.
• Set aside time for regular travel, update calls, and to be available for people in different time zones.
• Technology: Research the technologies that best connect people for the types of work they do. See Ten Tools for Remote Teams for ideas.
• Routine: Consistency in your work process — quarterly gatherings, weekly phone meetings — provides structure and prevents gaps in communication.
• Drive: Members of dispersed teams need to work well on their own. Their managers need to sustain the group’s energy, be available at odd hours, travel a lot, and initiate communication.
• Chatter: It gets a bad rap, but chit-chat builds a team. Let remote employees in on tidbits like promotions, births and weddings, and inside jokes.