Leading in the office is dead. It’s now Lead from Anywhere.

Leaders now have a new challenge. I am a big advocate of LBWA – Leadership by Walking Around (the office). However what happens if you can’t walk around the office and see your team? LBZA - Leadership by Zooming Around? Or LBAA – Leadership by Anywhere Around. Yes times are changing and being able to lead ANYWHERE is now going to be the new norm.

I can feel the cringe - if I can’t see you, can I really lead you effectively?

Now with many of us are working from home, on the kitchen table, at the local café or in the spare room due to COVID, leadership is also changing. Companies like Telstra, EY and Finder to name a few are now working from home and Twitter announced that now everyone is working from home permanently.

Whether this will be the new norm, who knows. However the way we work will change and definitely now the way we lead.

We are coaching and working with many leaders and companies around how to navigate, adapt and lead in this new norm. For many it is really challenging. Leadership is a tough gig and even tougher when you are not leading in the office or face to face. Now this isn’t a guide to leading from anywhere however I wanted to give you some insights to how leadership is changing and what you can do to be a better leader, anywhere.

You might think this is challenging however it doesn’t need to be. Trust me. And where do you start. Trust. You must trust your people and teams.

I know you can lead anywhere. I have been doing it for nearly 15 years. Leadership isn’t about being face to face with those around you 9-5. We have been moving away from the 9-5 worker or career for a very long time. The flexible workplace is one that I am a massive advocate for.

However is the permanent working from home now something we need to adapt to and embrace? The jury is out for me on this one. I truly believe as we are social beings, that we need someone to connect and collaborate. There are online ways to connect and collaborate which is critical today like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype and so forth. However nothing beats the face to face connection.

I find the whole working from home and now I need to lead my team from home thing rather interesting. Why? As a CEO and founder of a company where I have led remotely for years, I feel like a semi-expert in this and guess what – I also had no choice. As a full time solo mum for the past 15 years with no support network; I had to grow, navigate and lead a company and team most of the time from home and remotely. It was super challenging, and it was not easy. However with courage, kindness and trust, you can do it!

Today (thanks goodness!) I am finding more people embracing the remote working, I now have clients and associates who are more open to meeting  and working online and not face to face. They are now more than happy for us to run workshops, keynotes, programs and coaching online too.

In turn, my team are so capable and incredible that I know they will deliver outputs and outcomes where-ever they are. I have helped them do this as I want them to know they can work and lead anywhere. I am not saying this is always easy. It takes more time, commitment, connection and courage to lead anywhere. However we are succeeding because we know great leadership can happen anywhere.

So I feel we have got this leading from anywhere happening as this is now the way of the world. I am leading at home, in the car, in a café, walking along the beach, at the doctor’s reception, in the dining room, on the bus…the list is endless.

We use phone, messenger, zoom, Microsoft teams and email and so forth. Sometimes all the platforms drive me nuts and I prefer the phone however work around is best to lead and communicate for the team.

Want to know who I do it? Simple. I just lead anywhere as it is what I need to do today as I love to lead and love to create leaders.

I focus on these areas to lead anywhere.

1.         Self-Leadership.

• Know your values
• Be kind to yourself and the juggle
• Set up routines and great habits
• Put time in for yourself and family first
• Don’t feel guilty if you work weekends, nights or early mornings
• Embrace you can work and lead from any where
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help
• Keep learning as a leader
• Set goals for yourself
• Journal!
• Get a coach!

2.         People Leadership.

• Trust your team…!
• Give them projects that inspire them
• Find out what motivates them at work and outside of work
• Make sure they are motivated by working from home or if they need support
• Over-communicate! Find out when and what is best to communicate with them directly too
• Set one on one catch ups
• Focus on well-being
• Focus on outputs and outcomes
• Show them you care and say thank you regularly
• Make sure they know their accountabilities and outcomes
• Celebrate as a team online
• Learn together online as a team

3.         Company Leadership.

• Never lose sight of your vision and mission
• Stay true to your values as a company
• Lead online as a company and stay on brand
• Regularly reach out to clients, customers and connections online
• Celebrate milestones as a team together

You can lead anywhere. However it does take a new mindset and attitude to leading. The keys are TRUST AND COURAGE. Trust your people and be courageous in knowing that this type of leading does work and can work.

If we can help – reach out to us at LeadershipHQ or McDonald Inc. You have got this.