Remote Leadership Keys
It seems that 2020 is destined to end much like it has lingered for months now. Despite all the political noise no election result is as significant as the change from an onsite to a remote or hybrid organization. The very dynamic of interaction has changed and will stay in this altered state at least until widespread vaccination changes the risk equation. This change impacts pretty much anyone who is ever on an electronic device in their home doing work but for many full time workers and leaders they are never "in the office."
Workers are finding many positive things if they are lucky enough to be in a remote-capable profession, not least is not having to commute. While all the trappings of getting up and going to work can create routines that find success so to, it turns out, is a more flexible, more still-in-your-jammies approach to some days. This works across age groups as younger workers value their home time and for older workers it can be mixed in with virtual schooling or other situations where being home with the kids in the other room means not spending a chunk of your check on day care.
Leaders have a broader challenge. How to manage a virtual or semi-virtual staff? What are the positive paradigm shifts? Can I find and enforce productivity? Will the loss of formal structures lead to breakdowns in communication? All good questions specific to Pandemic Remote Managing. Thing is, they're mostly the same rules as leading in an office building, a food truck, a den or home office. By far what measures the success of any enterprise is foremost its COMMUNICATION!
On the bright side, some mandated changes created an adaptation to a new set of best practices but again for this Rule of 3 it matters not if on land or sea. Have a clear vision, and be clearly understood. Create your communication culture and be as firm on the "don't do" items as you drive the "dos" to be done, manage behavior. Third is to connect with people on deeper levels. Learning each employees situation or having the empathy to be flexible when you can, firm when you need to be is readily demonstrated in virtual settings.
To do these things and have positive results utilize the creation of routines. Regularly scheduled Zoom, Team, or other video platforms can be more productive and less cumbersome than staff meetings. Use a scrum strategy to connect quickly and efficiently. As important as broad based communication is it's equally vital to have interpersonal communication. Schedule FaceTime Reviews, make them 2-way. Think of where your relationships have taken you. Connecting with individuals is how a group is built with buy-in and loyalty. That's a good start.
If your purpose is in tact and you are executing on a vision and communicating in cohesive planned and spontaneously satisfied conversations there is no reason your leadership will change, except for the how you need to do it, on what channel and in what frequency. That answer still very much depends on each business group but it's good to know this new way has a chance to stay, and be okay.
?2020 MyEureka Solutions LLC. For help with your leadership strategy or BUSINESS THERAPY insights or more life and business musings contact or follow @TomFoxTrainer, at www.myeurekasolutions.com/thoughts, or on LinkedIn. Our current book: Business Therapy: Ideas and Inspirations To Help Build Sales, Leadership, Management, and Personal Performance is available on Amazon.
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