Establishing a Good Relationship with an Offshore Team
If you want to establish a good relationship with an offshore team, then I would suggest some or all of the following:
- Meet with the teams in person (either onshore or offshore). Establish a relationship with them and gain an understanding of what is motivating their behavior.
- Build mutual trust. It's not just about you trusting your offshore team, it's also about the offshore team trusting you. If they think they are being judged or blamed, they are likely to be defensive.
- Empower the team. Help them get engaged in design and architecture. Make them feel like their input is valued. Proactive behavior comes when people feel they have value.
- Try and break down the distinction between the onshore and offshore teams. Make sure meetings are held jointly (including retrospectives). Use chat programs like Slack or Microsoft Teams.
- Arrange your daily Scrum at a time when everyone can be involved regardless of location, if possible.