Our enthusiasm for digital interaction was unabated until this year, when the coronavirus came along. Suddenly, the convenience of virtual communication seemed to pale in comparison to its challenges. As the summer of 2020 winds down, many employees’ remote work status is unchanged. In fact many companies, such as Google, have announced that their employees can continue to work from home until July 2021, making it the first major tech company to extend its remote-work arrangement into next summer in response to the global coronavirus pandemic.
So how can you lead during this challenging time? It is important to remember that much of what makes an excellent leader translates well to the digital workplace. However, there are some new skills to learn to be the strongest leader you can be. Here are some suggestions.
Adopt Technology
Unsurprisingly, tech-savvy leaders are more likely to have found their feet in adapting to remote work. Traditionalists, on the other hand, find themselves at the wrong point on a steep learning curve. Fortunately, our current circumstances have compelled everyone into a hands-on approach, which is the best way to learn.
If you are an early adopter, use your head start to identify and implement the most productive elements of the tools at your disposal. Zero in on individuals who may be struggling with the change. Give them the support and training to ensure that neither the quality nor the quantity of their contributions suffers. If you are struggling, delegate that task to a qualified colleague and get the requisite training yourself.
Do Digital Triage
The old adage that “the first step to solving a problem is recognizing that it exists” is especially relevant in changing circumstances. How do you identify potential issues when all you see are typed words and talking heads on a two-dimensional interface?
One way to begin is by making a list of the issues you would be able to identify in person and asking directed questions during your online interactions. So, if two particular sub-teams tend to silo and work in isolation, schedule regular three-way meetings between them and yourself to foster interaction.
Be Remote-Centric
Covid has demonstrated the vulnerability to disruption of the systems on which we rely. Repeated returns to lockdown the world over and reports of the emergence of the bubonic plague in China indicate that a complete and permanent return to “normal” may be impossible.
Don’t look at the measures that you have been forced to adopt today as temporary stop-gaps. They form a meshwork of strategies intimately tethered to the future success of your organization. Strengthen them, interlink them, and train your team members and new hires to work with them.
Every obstacle is an opportunity to reevaluate, innovate and reinvigorate your operations. While the three strategies outlined above may not be completely new, they are imbued with additional potency by the unorthodoxy of the current environment. Incorporate them into your management early and edge out the competition. Please contact me today if you would like to discuss further.
