Spreading calmness via networks of trust in times of uncertainty

Physical distance and remote work have many detrimental effects on organizational performance, but as a leader you can upgrade communication and collaboration within your community and improve the efficiency of your company with the right approach, tools and knowledge.

As an inspiration, Peter Kalmar, Managing Partner at Flow International, and I listed the four crucial points about how remote work and physical distance affects organizational performance and how influencers can help you to do better.

Point 1. – HUMANS IN ISOLATION

In isolation humans lose optimism and hope. The feeling of insecurity grows. People tend to give up, panic or become desperate. We should therefore focus on connecting people now more than ever. “Social Distancing” should only mean “Physical Distancing”. In fact as more and more people work remotely, it is our collective responsibility to work hard on minimizing the feeling of isolation around us.

Point 2. – TODAY TRUST MATTERS MORE THAN EVER

In uncertain times communicating constantly through your leadership structure is a must, but the power and the efficiency of that structure is limited. The “Network of Trust” is not your actual hierarchy, it is the informal network of a handful of trusted individuals who play a special role in your organization. They are the “Go-to People”, the “Listen-to Colleagues”, the “Turn-to Experts”. In times of crisis the information that spreads through your “Network of Trust” can make or break your leadership and communication.

Employee reach by the 9 top Managers    Employee reach by the top 9 Influencers

So to start and to keep communicating through this informal network matters now more than ever. In doing so you can rely on the “multiplication effect”. Important messages, information, new behaviors and emotions ripple through this network and your organization. According to the data we’ve collected from more than 300 organizations your “Trusted Influencers” can and will reach at least three times as many people in your organization than the Top Management can.

Point 3. – MAPPING YOUR NETWORK OF TRUSTED INFLUENCERS IS QUICK AND EASY

As it is time to start communicating directly with your informal network of “Trusted Influencers”, if you haven’t done it yet, now is the time to “map your organization”. Invite your colleagues in the next couple of days to identify who they turn to when the going gets tough? Once you have the list of your “Top Influencers”, you can then get started with your well-focused, direct and interactive communication effort. The good news is that with OrgMapper INFLUENCE it is quick and easy to do this mapping, even in large organizations and big organizational units.

Point 4. – COMMUNICATE WITH AND THROUGH YOUR TOP INFLUENCERS REGULARLY

Communicating directly and virtually with your top influencers on multiple platforms can be done in an interactive and very efficient manner. If you have the right preparation, focus and discipline, it works! So make time to communicate with your Top 30/40/50 Influencers regularly, if possible on a weekly or biweekly basis at minimum. You will see the results immediately.

If you want to deploy OrgMapper Influence in your organization and you need our support on how to moderate your Influencer Meetings effectively, we are here to help you get started.

Let’s keep it together!