Teams are somewhat akin to audio amplifiers: Whatever passes through the device — be it signal or noise — comes out louder.

—J. Richard Hackman

Working in a team is a challenge. Different people have different preferences about how to communicate, prioritize and act. In the best cases, differences complement each other. A big-thinking strategist might come up with an idea for a project strategy, a detail-oriented tactician will craft program deadlines and set up specific deliverables goals, and an energy-filled action type will begin executing at once. The challenge is to ensure that the differences complement each other instead of causing friction.

This challenge can be even greater among remote workers, who often aren’t as connected to corporate culture or protocols, and who can’t read body language or see the facial expressions of people they’re not near. Here are some tips on how to build team effectiveness when you’re working remotely with others, no matter what your role is on the team.

Build self-awareness. It’s important to try to see ourselves as others do. Personality assessment tools, such as Insights Discovery, identify interpersonal preferences that can be helpful for the whole team to discuss.

Absent these tools, start with a personal inventory. Spend some time writing down the answers to these questions: What are the top three strengths I bring to the team? How do my strengths contribute to the success of the team? Have I ever shown up to team efforts without bringing my strengths? and What can I do today to increase my responsibility for the team’s success? The key is to move from “I”-type thinking to “we”-type thinking.

Play detective – and then use what you learn. Now take an inventory of your other team members. List the values they bring to the team, in terms of both skills and personal attributes. Take the time to learn more. Find out whether they prefer email communication to talking. Find out if they like to brainstorm, or if they prefer to analyze an issue alone and send written responses. Find out everything you can. Then speak to your teammates in their language, not yours. Use what you’ve learned to communicate in the way that is most comfortable to them.

Put a system in place. Virtual team members can be in their own world. It’s best to have a documented, standardized way of working that you’re constantly refining. Track work output so that you’re all on the same page. A project management system, which helps organize documents and conversations into different projects, can be a great help.

Be accessible, and use a variety of communication styles. It’s good for every team member to have a chat window open during the day so that they’re available for quick questions. Use email for swift interactions and phone calls or video chat for discussing more complicated issues. Use screen sharing tools, and establish a protocol for collaborating on documents or spreadsheets.

Worry about the conversations you’re not having. Unspoken issues can become big roadblocks to team effectiveness. Working through issues together brings about a stronger team bond. If you’re thinking about discussing an issue with another team member, ask yourself: How can I broach this topic respectfully? As you listen to their responses, be sure to offer the most respectful interpretation you can to their words.

Almost 90 percent of employees and employers in a recent survey cited lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures. A good question for the whole team to ask itself and discuss is: If our team could pick one thing to stop, one to start and one to continue doing, what would they be? Taking the time to understand other team members, nurture communication and work through issues together pays off in both productivity and increased job satisfaction.

Doug Upchurch is the global learning innovation strategist at Insights Learning and Development.