Latest / The Internal Move Podcast with Fexingo: Lateral Roles, Internal Transfers, and Staying at Your Company / How an Internal Transfer Can Teach You to Lead Remote Teams
Transcript
- Lucas: So Luna, we've talked a lot about how internal transfers can accelerate your career, but there's one specific skill that I think is becoming almost a superpower in today's workforce, and it's remote leadership. Luna: You mean managing people who aren't in the same room as you? That's been around for a while, hasn't it? Lucas: Right, but the depth of it is different now. I'm not talking about just having a couple of remote reports. I'm talking about leading a fully distributed team across time zones, cultures, and functions. And the interesting thing is, an internal transfer might be the best way to get that experience without waiting for a promotion. Luna: That's a bold claim. How does a lateral move give you remote leadership chops? Lucas: Let me give you a concrete example. There's a marketing manager I know, Priya, at a large consumer goods company. She was on a local brand team in Chicago, doing traditional brand management. She wanted to move into a more digital role, but she didn't want to leave the company. So she applied for an internal transfer to a new cross-functional squad that was being set up to handle a global product launch. The catch? The team was scattered across Singapore, London, and Chicago. No one reported to her directly, but she was responsible for coordinating all the marketing deliverables across those three regions. Luna: So she got the responsibility without the title. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the heart of this episode. She got to practice remote leadership in a low-risk environment. If she'd been hired externally for a manager role, she would have had to prove herself from day one. Here, the company already knew her work, so they trusted her with this messy, complex coordination role. Luna: What did she actually learn? I mean, coordinating across time zones is one thing, but that's not leadership. Lucas: Fair point. But think about what she had to do. She had to run meetings at 7 AM and 9 PM to accommodate the other regions. She had to give feedback on creative assets to people she'd never met in person. And she had to build trust quickly with people who were skeptical of yet another 'HQ person' telling them what to do. That's real leadership, just amplified by distance. Luna: So she was essentially managing a virtual team without the formal authority. That's a classic test. Lucas: And she passed. Within six months, the launch went smoothly, and she was promoted to a role where she now officially manages a remote team of four. But the promotion was almost a formality. The real growth happened during that transfer, when she had to figure out how to lead without relying on being in the room. Luna: I love that. It's like she got a free MBA in remote leadership. Lucas: Exactly. And the skills she built are exactly what companies are struggling to find. A recent survey by a major consulting firm found that over seventy percent of managers now have at least one remote direct report, but less than a third say they've received any formal training on how to lead remotely. Luna: So most managers are learning on the job, but they might not be in a position to do it well. An internal transfer lets you practice in a more forgiving setting. Lucas: Right. Because you already have credibility inside the company. You're not starting from zero with your reputation. So you can take more risks, try different communication styles, and see what works. Luna: But what if the transfer doesn't actually involve leading anyone? Like, you're just a contributor on a distributed team. That's not leadership. Lucas: That's a great point, and it's the distinction you need to look for. Priya's role was specifically designed to coordinate and align, which required her to influence without authority. That's a leadership skill in itself. But if you're just a lone contributor who works remotely and occasionally joins a call, you're not getting the same exposure. Luna: So when you're scanning internal job boards, how do you spot a role that actually offers remote leadership potential? Lucas: Look for roles that explicitly mention cross-functional coordination, project management, or 'global' responsibilities. Those are signs you'll be working with people across different locations. Also, check if the team is already distributed. If the team is split between offices or countries, you'll likely get involved in leading virtual meetings and driving alignment. Luna: And what about the interview? How do you ask about that without seeming like you only care about the title? Lucas: You can frame it as your interest in learning. Ask about the team's collaboration style, how they handle time zones, and how decisions get made. That shows you're thinking about the mechanics of remote collaboration, which is a leadership mindset. Luna: That's a smart approach. Honestly, this episode has been a real eye-opener for me. I had always thought of remote leadership as something you grow into after years of experience, but you're saying you can fast-track it with a lateral move. Lucas: You can, and it's a smart career move because the demand for remote leaders is only going to grow. Companies are globalizing their talent pools, and the pandemic showed that remote work is here to stay. So getting that experience early, even in a lateral role, positions you for bigger things down the line. Luna: And if today's episode helped you think about your own career, and you find it useful, you could support us. We keep this podcast ad-free, and listener support is what keeps it going. If it's worth a coffee to you, that's the link. Lucas: Yeah, buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Every little bit helps us keep doing this. And it's a simple way to say thanks if you got something out of today. Luna: And we appreciate it more than you know. But back to the topic at hand. So, what about the risk? If you take a lateral move and it doesn't give you the remote leadership exposure you hoped for, are you stuck? Lucas: Not necessarily. You can always pivot again, but the key is to define what you want to learn before you make the move. Set clear goals for yourself, like 'I want to lead at least one virtual workshop' or 'I want to own the communication plan for a cross-regional project.' Then, when you're in the role, you can make sure you're getting those opportunities. Luna: So it's about being intentional. You can't just assume the transfer will teach you something. Lucas: Exactly. You have to ask for stretch assignments and volunteer for projects that require coordination. Priya, for example, volunteered to lead the weekly status meetings for her new team, even though it wasn't in her job description. That's how she got the visibility she needed. Luna: And that visibility is what led to her promotion. Lucas: It did. Her manager saw how she handled the remote team and started giving her more responsibility. The transfer was just the entry point. Luna: So, for someone listening, what's the one takeaway they should remember? Lucas: If you want to lead remote teams, you don't have to wait for a promotion. Look for internal opportunities that put you in a coordinating role across distributed teams. The experience you gain is gold, and it could be the fastest way to build the leadership skills that will define the next decade of work. Luna: And if you're already in a role that doesn't offer that, you can start by leading a cross-functional project within your own team, even if it's not remote. The principles are the same. Lucas: That's a great point. Remote leadership is really just intentional leadership. You have to be more deliberate about communication, trust, and clarity. And that's a skill you can practice anywhere. Luna: Well, that gives me a lot to think about. Maybe I'll look for my own remote leadership opportunity soon. Lucas: And if you do, let us know how it goes. You can find us on social media. We'd love to hear your story.