So there’s this global pandemic happening. While the far-reaching economic and social impacts of COVID-19 are still unknown, the return to normal will take a long time and, when it’s over, we probably won’t live and work the way we did six weeks ago. Like many people managers around the world, I find myself supporting employees who used to work right outside my office (except on most Fridays when many worked from home). As we flatten and plank curves, here are three things I’m doing to lead a remote team during a pandemic. I hope the tips serve you well.
Being a human
Making work a more human, community-oriented place is a little easier when folks share space. In fact, according to Psychology Today’s Robert I. Sutton, the NBA teams that touch teammates more win more. Two things: first, these data are semi-awkward given that the NBA was the first North American sports league to pause the season; second, always have consent before fist bumping, high-fiving or hugging people at work (or anywhere, really).
Bringing humanity to work is a strength of mine, which means that I always turn my camera on during meetings, favour quick calls to check-in as opposed to sending emails, and let go of work details when a teammate needs to share how isolation, frustration and/or existential dread are impacting them.
Make time for social connections and fun, .gif-centric backchannels, too, as they serve as a virtual stand-in for water cooler, elevator and collaborative chats that typically happen in-person.
Empowering people
“We need to figure out a way to rekindle our team’s superpower of spontaneous collaboration,” said a colleague during a recent check-in. So that’s the challenge I’ll give to the team at our next meeting. I’m 100% confident that they’ll come up with several creative solutions for how we might bring our secret sauce to online spaces.
I’ve also heard, and acted on, that I need to be more direct and set even clearer context these days because I’m not as available as I was six weeks ago (parenting/schooling two kids while my wife manages her job, too) and, when context is clear, folks are able to deliver their best work without as much back and forth. When we empower folks by asking great questions and helping them to uncover strengths and insights then amazing things can happen.
Asking for feedback
The highest performing teams are the ones that possess high psychological safety. Teams with high psychological safety usually have high trust. High trust comes from being vulnerable. A great way to demonstrate trust and vulnerability is to ask for feedback.
I’m completing first quarter reviews across my team and have asked generally for feedback about “how the pandemic is going for everyone” (I’ve got jokes!), how the team is performing, and how I can improve as a leader. Borrowing a page from Simon Sinek’s The Infinite Game, I’ve been asking folks: “if you could change one thing about me what would it be?” Then I listen and say “tell me more” if I think they have more to say. When they’re done I just say “thank you”.
Asking for feedback not only models vulnerability for the team, but it also makes feedback contagious – when folks are clearer about what strengths to harness and where to improve everyone feels safer, more connected and we perform to our potential, too.