Leading Effectively in the Virtual Workplace
It’s January 1, 2020. The spectrum of organizational readiness for remote work is vast.
We have the forerunners, like Automattic and CanWach, who operate completely in the virtual space, leveraging technology to reduce the costs associated with physical infrastructure and expanding their geographical reach for top talent.
On the other end, we have others that lack the basic infrastructure, such as laptops, stable VPNs and cloud based platforms, necessary to operate beyond the walls of their physical offices.
It’s now June 6, 2020. For many, this is the start of the third month of working in a completely virtual context.
By now, most organizations have sorted out the technological barriers to remote work. Yet, some leaders continue to struggle in this environment — not due to technology but rather their approach to leadership.
Working remotely requires a different lens on leadership.
Here are 3 strategies to support leading your teams effectively in the virtual workplace:
1. Create intentional, organization-wide social spaces
Human beings have evolved as social creatures. According to Forbes contributor Nick Morgan, “we are most comfortable when we’re connected”. Connection plays a pivotal role in employee engagement, leading to greater levels of productivity.
Working remotely can result in decreased connectivity as there are less opportunities for organic social interactions that transpire in the office setting, such as water cooler conversations.
Although communication does not entirely fall to the sidelines in the virtual workplace, the conversations may be narrowly focused on work and limited to team members who regularly collaborate.
What to do: Calendarize organization-wide social opportunities such as coffee chats, virtual lunches and happy hours. Let this be an open invite, while strongly encouraging attendance. Lead by example — make it a priority to attend.
Bonus: Get creative in building a virtual culture in these dedicated social spaces. If your team values health and wellness, create a 30-day wellness challenge. If you would like to inject fun and creativity into your culture, use this space to hold themed wardrobe days such as ‘tropical shirt day’ or play a game of virtual bingo.
2. Be clear on priorities
Irrespective of workplace context, it is your responsibility as a leader to ensure that there is alignment in organizational priorities at both the macro and micro levels.
Leading in the virtual space requires an even stronger focus on priority setting as it’s too easy to get caught up in silos. Being clear on organizational direction and understanding how operational priorities support the broader direction is more important than ever.
What to do: Get clear on organizational priorities with your senior leadership team. Communicate your team’s specific priorities so that all leaders have a shared understanding of potential conflicts and time constraints. Set weekly priorities within your respective teams, empowering team members to identify what their priorities are and provide guidance to ensure alignment with organization objectives and direction where competing priorities exist. Be clear on your expectation on deliverables.
Bonus: Priorities are fluid. Regular, scheduled priority setting meetings is the most effective way to ensure that you stay on track. At the end of the week, take stock of your collective wins and celebrate with your team.
3. Establish regular and recurring check-ins
It’s a fine balance managing communication in a virtual space. On one hand, the is a greater need to be in communication stemming from the lack of physical presence in the office. On the other, it is ineffective to spend your day going from one virtual meeting to the next, while filling the remainder of your time catching up on emails and IMs.
Communication is most effective when done with intention.
What to do: Set guiding principles for your check-ins. Example framework of a daily, 30-minute check-in: 1) connecting personally, 2) celebrate previous day’s wins, 3) acknowledge challenges, 4) daily priority setting, 5) information sharing. In this example, problem solving is not encompassed as a guiding principle; this means that any items arising during this space requiring a lengthy solutioning processes will need to be tabled separately.
Bonus: Before sending an email or IM, ask yourself whether your request or information sharing can wait until your next check-in. This will support reducing the number of emails or IMs received by your team, thus reducing distraction and increasing productivity. Encourage others to do the same.
Leadership starts with living by example. Demonstrate a genuine interest in the well being of your employees. Be clear on your own priorities at the organizational level. Offer support to your teams when prioritizing, particularly where competing priorities exist. Be clear on expectations. Create meaningful connections.
