Leadership is about people, and it’s about communication.
And as the majority of communication is done with body language and facial expressions, a lot of leaders were left stumped trying to translate this online during the pandemic.
That was a few years ago, and a lot of hard lessons have been learned since then. Some fundamental skills remain.
Here’s how the best bosses have been leading their remote teams to consistent success.
#1. Embrace flexibility
Different staff will face different challenges with remote work and may have limited access to resources. Some may be working from a home office, others from Starbucks.
Get to know your team and their unique challenges, and then be flexible with how to overcome these.
#2. Make time for one-to-one chats
Without face-to-face interactions that they’re used to, staff can feel isolated or anxious.
The usual body language and warm gestures that are commonplace and humans are adapted to pick up on and give are lost. Small issues can manifest into big ones if there isn’t a space to check in.
Make time to get a read on people and provide them with a space to air concerns, worries, or challenges.
And ensure you’re keeping an eye on everyone’s moods so you’re able to catch it early if someone is struggling.
#3. Focus on principles and outcomes
Forget the old mentality of ‘work from this time to this time’’ and instead, think about principles and results.
What really matters is that the work is being done, and it’s being done well. Obsessing too much about details and minutiae can alienate and even demotivate staff.
Discuss and establish clear boundaries and expectations. Set goals. Provide support. Be sure to monitor progress.
#4. Avoid overwhelm
Without the hub and buzz of an office, it’s harder for people to prioritize. Manage that.
Make sure to actively track what’s being allocated. There may be stars on your team who grab everything that’s going on in an effort to be helpful, without realizing how much work it will be. There may also be those who are picking up extra work as a coping mechanism for some stress related to work (or something else).
Be mindful of this and stay aware of your team’s workload. It’s only a short trip from overwhelm to burnout.
#5. Don’t mistake connection for being constantly connected
Yes, check in regularly. No, don’t hook everyone up to a group chat and expect constant updates.
Some people need the time and space to focus on work. Respect that.
If you must, a good compromise could be to set up a system where staff completes an end-of-day log where they briefly outline how they spent their time.
Don’t come from a place of suspicion though: treat your team like adults and build trust.
#6. What gets rewarded gets repeated
Leading remotely can feel colder and more direct. Discipline can therefore be extra challenging without the ability to soften correction with in-person compassion.
To avoid too much negativity, instead, focus on positively reinforcing what you want to see in your team.
Don’t try to catch people out. Nobody likes ‘a ha’ moments. Limit them.
#7. Leave space for the casual
Either arrange or encourage informal social interactions. I led a few quizzes and online game nights, normally themed (superhero murder mystery was a favorite).
There are plenty of ideas available online, along with free games and quiz apps.
You don’t have to go crazy. Just make sure there’s a space for people to build bonds outside of the formality of meetings, or the woodiness of written text. Sometimes people need to let their hair down, especially if they’re working remotely.
#8. Communicate consciously
If you’re new to remote work, the best thing you can do is over-communicate. Hear me out.
Communication generally in an organization can be a challenge. We take for granted how much is passed on by just being in an office environment.
Remote work will only exacerbate this.
Also, make sure you’re using meetings effectively. Yes, they can be good to check-in. But sometimes a phone call is enough. Or even a careful email.
Don’t overuse them so your staff learns to resent them. They are a tool, and like any tool, they need to be utilized effectively.
#9. Mentor not manager
Digital communication can seem cold and distant, so leaders should balance this by aiming to be mentoring staff to achieve their potential rather than only managing their workload.
Rules and guidelines can be useful, but be too rigid and you run the risk of being seen as inflexible.
Try instead to mentor people. Set an example. Develop yourself. Remain positive. Focus on keeping yourself happy and motivated, and then share these ideas to different staff based on their needs.
Closing thoughts
Leading remotely presents challenges to leaders. But we can learn a lot from remaining open-minded, and being ready to learn.
Remote work is here to stay. Focus on the following lessons to stay ahead and lead a team that thrives:
- Embrace flexibility and use it to your advantage
- Make time for one-to-one chats so you can continue to build a strong rapport away from the office
- Focus on outcomes, not arbitrary rules
- Avoid overwhelm and keep an eye on potential burnout in your team
- Don’t enforce constant connection, but do ensure ongoing connectivity
- Reward behavior you want to see more of rather than punishing the negative
- Embed casual interactions in the team from time to time
- Communicate effectively rather than just for the sake of it
- Mentor your team, don’t just manage them
What else works for you?