Let’s be honest: the last year and a half has been interesting, challenging, difficult, intense and surprising all at the same time. The job market is forever changed, and managers have had to show enormous adaptability, a lot of creativity… and sometimes adjust their expectations. Leaders have in fact become… e-leaders! Honestly, BRAVO to all the managers out there!
Yes, remote management has been the talk of the town. Yes, you’ve probably read 371 articles, publications and posts that covered the subject. But hey! A little summary never hurt anyone. Let’s go back to the basics and talk a little about e-leadership best practices. Enjoy!
1. Communicate
A classic, no doubt about it. But believe it or not, this is one of the most easily overlooked aspects when it comes to remote work. The concept is simple, though: communicating constantly and frequently with your team helps foster a feeling of closeness. This state of closeness comes with a lot of benefits:
– your employees will be comfortable being themselves (who wants a team full of fake personalities?), to express themselves freely, to collaborate with each other;
– this feeling of comfort and confidence will allow them to give free rein to creativity and innovation;
– ultimately, their job satisfaction and performance will increase.
2. Be authentic & reveal your true self
Want your team to be authentic? Step 1: be authentic yourself. Vulnerability is NOT a weakness. By being humble, transparent, and yes, at times vulnerable in your relationships, by explaining the why and how of decisions, your employees will become more attached to you and most importantly, will feel comfortable sharing their own vulnerabilities. Again, the goal here is to seek out each person’s best version, their true self, to make a REAL connection despite the screen that separates you.
3. Be vigilant
Yes, there are times when you need extra vigilance, especially when it comes to remote management.
A new employee who arrives in the team and who does not yet have all their ducks in a row, a colleague who disappears, who closes their camera during meetings, who limit interactions to a minimum, or even just everybody going through a particularly stressful, busy period full of deadlines and deliverables. I promise, your involvement and your presence will reassure the team and allow you to get the real picture of the situation. Please don’t wait until your team is exhausted. Be alert, pick up the signals, ask the real questions.
4. Finally, take the time to look inwards
Your work life is a constant rollercoaster, I’m pretty sure. It is, therefore, necessary, at times, to ask yourself the questions, to take the time to review your e-leadership methods, to seek advice (hello the HR team!), To think about what you could do better, and what you are doing very well already. This occasional little check-up is critical. Don’t settle for the status quo.
Enjoy your day, e-leaders!
-Marie-Laurence Tremblay, CRHA, Human Resources & Partner Affaires at Sherweb
The Ask HR series is created in partnership with Sherweb, a leading cloud solutions provider. Sherweb’s HR team will be using their expertise to answer your questions related to time off, onboarding, remote work, employee engagement, and all things workplace culture.
