Alright! We have been leading our teams remotely now for eight months.  One thing is for sure. Time is going by quickly, and as humans do, we learn to adapt.  We are hoping there is an end in sight with this pandemic, but we are seeing now that we have a while yet to navigate this situation.  Hope alone is not a good strategy, and we need to take deliberate action to build and maintain our own resilience, and, help our teams and those around us to do the same.

For certain, everyone has a story to share about their experience with working remotely.  For many people, this is an entirely new experience. Some have adapted, some are appreciating the opportunity to work from home and hope it continues, and some are struggling as their home environment is not conducive to productive working and focus.

As leaders, we need to support our people to be their best, and the way that we approach our “check in” conversations are somewhat different than our previous approach when we used to see our employees every day in the office.  I have been working with many of my clients on how they can effectively do their check in’s so that they are meaningful and specifically attend to the reality that each employee is experiencing.

If we want to receive specific feedback or information, we need to ask specific questions.  Asking a vague question such as “how are you doing?” just isn’t enough for employees who may be struggling or do not feel comfortable to share their true reality.  If we approach our ask differently, there is a much greater chance that our employees will respond favorably.

Now is a great time to continue to improve the quality of your conversations and elevate your empathy to show care and concern for your teams.

As leaders, we know that each of our employees may need something different from us, the organization, and their environment in order to be their best.  Our role to ask the right questions and really listen. Consider the following as alternative ways to get clear and meaningful answers from your team.

Let’s chat about your experience leading your team remotely.  I would love to hear how you have created new team norms and communication that really matters.  If you think you may need a another look or a brainstorming session, I welcome the opportunity to connect for a call.