Wisdom for bosses managing remote teams
In my previous two blogs, about how the rabbit is out of the bag – everyone is working at home, and any attempt to put it back in the bag by removing much autonomy will be fought with great risk! And secondly, given this is a pivotal point for bosses (and managers) it is an opportunity to stop and reflect on the way you are managing remote teams and consider what’s important, as well as identify possible action items.
Let me now shine some light on widely written about “wisdom” around leading and managing people from past decades. You will most probably recognise the concepts, and agree with the authors. But as you read the following points, do reflect on what’s happening with yourself as you work with your boss, and then do the same as you think about the people you lead or manage, especially if managing remote teams. Remember, everyone is different and the experience your direct reportees may have with you may differ to what you are intending it to be. Some of this “wisdom” may be a good starting point for conversations around how you best work together.
Here is my list of “wisdom” to consider for managing remote teams:
- Dan Pink speaks of how autonomy – the desire to be self directed – is one of the three factors that leads to better performance and personal satisfaction (assuming enough money is on the table so this is not a problem). He shares how this flies in the face of traditional management which is more about compliance.
- According to Gallup’s research, we all like to have the opportunity to do what we do best every day. Even if we cannot do it everyday, to know we can do it in our job and that our boss knows it’s important to us makes a big difference. (“First, break all the rules” by Buckingham & Coffman)
- We all like to grow and develop. Dan Pink talks about “Mastery”, and Gallup research also highlights the importance of our development: to be encouraged, given opportunities to learn and grow, and conversations about our development with bosses.
- Positive attention to strengths (as opposed to “feedback”) is 1200 times more powerful around impacting their engagement than ignoring people and 30 times more powerful than negative attention to weaknesses. People don’t need judgemental feedback. “They need attention, and moreover, attention to what they do the best. And they become more engaged and therefore more productive when we give it to them.” (“Nine Lies About Work” by Buckingham & Goodall)
- A clear sense of progress is important so getting feedback on one’s progress is important, which is basically recognition for good work. Computer games understand this very well. Dr Jason Fox shares his research in this video.
- “To become trustworthy, you have to experience trust” Marvin Weisbord (Dr. Mee-Yan Cheung Judge’s “Just in Case…” mini-series, twelfth video). Bosses can help with this.
- “Why Compassion Is a Better Managerial Tactic than Toughness” by Emma Seppälä, HBR, May 07, 2015
In leadership programmes, and within organisations, we cover a lot of these points, and they are becoming more of our “corporate speak”. To ensure we are really embracing the heart and the art of this wisdom, let’s dig down a little deeper and identify some simple basics that may help shape your “now what?”
Breaking Things Down Further into the Simple
Here is a list of some other things that may prove helpful. Think of these as the micro-skills that will support the capabilities needed to enable you to execute on some of the above mentioned “wisdom”:
- More listening and noticing – without judgement.
- Curiosity – a leadership superpower!
- Sharing – “when I know it, you will know it” if not, your people will make up stories.
- Provide meaning and context within which everyone works – and leave the locus of control – for choosing, deciding, prioritising, goal setting – to them. Find ways to journey with them rather than checking in or checking up on them.
- Discuss the way you and your people want to work together. What works best for them, what do they need from you? And vice versa. Give and take.
- And believe everyone wants to do good work. Assume they get up and “arrive” for work to do their best, full stop.
- Care for them. Be curious and ask them about what being cared for looks and feels like for them. It may be different to you. There is no right or wrong here.
- There is no getting out of this one. Embrace the discomfort and learn to be aware of your tendencies to take control while choosing to embrace much of the wisdom above. There is a huge upside for you.
- And lastly, try reframing your role as a leader/manager. Perhaps it’s about “hosting” them as a group (“The Art of Gathering” by Priya Parker (2018)), “to help them find the real challenge”, or to be a servant for them.
As you work on your “now what?”, let’s reflect on some questions:
- What “wisdom” has resonated with you? What “wisdom” do you know to be true for yourself?
- Which of the micro-skills immediately above do you feel you may need to strengthen or improve?
- If you had to select one to work on, which one would it be? What will you specifically practice and in what sorts of situations? Do take time to write your response down.
In my next blog, we will take a closer look at what has happened while working at home. The road ahead is far from simple and it will demand a new way of leading. In the fifth and final blog of this series, we will look at an approach you may consider using with your team as you co-create how you want to work together in a hybrid workplace world.
And, if you need any extra support in these areas (and it’s ok to need it!) you can book a free 15-minute power chat with me to gain some clarity. See my availability.
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