The Three Best Ways to Use Remote Tools to Lead Your People Now

The Three Best Ways to Use Remote Tools to Lead Your People Now

Working Remotely: With so many people working remotely, leadership is even more important. Whether you’ve managed remote teams for years or a month, now is the time to make sure you are using the best practices. Here’s my top three:

1) MAINTAIN THE HUMAN TOUCH: Science has now validated that we are wired for connection. With so many people working in social isolation, maintaining what you can of the human touch is critical.

2) GIVE YOUR PEOPLE THE RIGHT TOOLS: You may assume that everyone has a decent computer and high-speed internet but make sure your assumptions are correct. Especially if someone has a spouse, kids or a partner at home, their use of the network may slow everything down.

3) MAKE SURE YOU LEAD: Many people today are fearful, angry or sad about the current state of the world. Your job, as leader, is to be the ‘cheerleader in chief’ and provide realistic reassurance and inspiration.

What Should You Do?

1)  THE HUMAN TOUCH:  While you can’t – and shouldn’t! – provide physical touch right now, you can do the next best thing. Prefer phone conferences, Zoom or the like over just email or chat. If people can see and hear you and their colleagues, their energy level and mood will rise. Make sure that you use your best facilitation skills (or engage an outside facilitator) to encourage everyone to speak and to prevent someone from dominating the conversation. Let everyone know the agenda ahead of time so that the introverts on your team have a chance to think and to process what they want to share before the online meeting.

2)  THE RIGHT TOOLS: Make sure that you conduct a “no-fault” survey of your team so they know they have the tools, skills and other resources to fully participate online. Stand ready to provide training, software or equipment as needed. Now is the time to make sure that you equalize participation as much as possible.

3)  LEADERSHIP: I’m sure that you have your own struggles right now as you attempt to maintain optimism and energy. It’s likely, however, that your people may be feeling even lower than you. Look for resources to cheer them up and give them much-needed perspective. Pass along podcasts, books and online courses that raise their spirits; avoid sharing more news or scary statistics unless necessary.

Check out, for example, the recent On Being podcast with author Rebecca Solnit. In her book A Paradise Built in Hell, she shares the research and history from social scientists who study how people behave in the aftermath of disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. She finds that groups in general, as well as people in particular, end up cooperating, helping and thriving both during and after the event. People’s “better angels”, as Abraham Lincoln called them, always seem to swoop in to help. Most of these stories and statistics are never reported in the media.

As I wrote last week, there are all kinds of creative ways that leaders have found to encourage humorous and uplifting interactions online. Be sure to check out that Monday Memo.

While it’s a cliché, it’s also true that when winter comes, spring’s not far behind. Here’s a picture of the crocuses, for example, that sprang up in front of my house after last week’s snowstorm.

What Do You Think?

What creative ways have you found to lead your team remotely? Call or write us at: 303-216-1020 or Lynne@workplacesthatwork.com