5 Remote Leadership Strategies-Gi Group

Dear Members and Friends,

CICC is glad to share with you an article from its member Gi Group.

Nowadays, more than ever, a virtual team is the “new normal” and making it possible has been one of the most relevant lessons learned from this Covid-19 time.

Following to the unexpected spread of Coronavirus, organizations had suddenly to adjust their operations accordingly. However, as well as working remotely could move special challenges to employees, managers cannot underestimate the distinctive leadership rules effectively managing virtual teams.Remote Leadership requires emotional and organizational skills some managers have not tested before at such deep level. Furthermore, it’s not enough to simply transfer the usual leadership style to a digital workspace.

How to enhance your remote leadership skills then? How to achieve a high productivity and engagement of the team managing people from anywhere?

Here below, I share with you some tips to overtake these managerial challenges for task coordination, communication and team management, building five effective remote leadership strategies:

• Hold your team emotionally together: the goals of this strategy are to keep on inspiring the big picture and fostering people’s sense of belonging, through a sincere emotional connection and a collective empathy. In order to keep your team on track, regular teambuilding activities such periodic group chats are fundamental. For this purpose, don’t forget to schedule weekly video calls where your team can share ideas, experiences, thoughts and (why not) their emotions. Keep them with you, strengthening their group identity, matching business priorities and their emotional needs.
• Focus on goals and key results, instead of controlling any process: control mechanisms are pointless in a digital workspace. You can’t physically observe your team on a daily basis. Trust is the keyword and the solution for a better professional life, for you and your team as well. This is why, in remote leadership, you should therefore put more emphasis on a results-oriented approach, precisely defining goals and expected results in advance, together with your team. The goal is to build a trustful, transparent, high productive and happier working environment.
•  Time-agreement for a better cooperation: specific agreements regarding people’s availabilities and coordination should be made in addition to the operational goals mentioned above. This could include specifying the core times when people need to be reachable and the core times when they need to disconnect. The concrete risk of working remotely is to stay connected 24h, 7/7 days. It’s not healthy, productive and fair. Set some rules and respect them, for yourself and for your people too.
•  Keep a unique connection with each team member: you can build direct, fruitful and personal relationships with your employees despite the digital workplace. Make sure to have meaningful individual conversations with each of them on a regular basis. Ask them how they are, if they need your help, give them regular feedback, advice, acknowledgements and foster their motivation and commitment through your sincere presence and support.
•  Clear briefing and debriefing: sharing information in a digital workspace usually requires more attention. Ensure every person knows his/her responsibilities and clearly debrief the steps forward toward the goals. Precise briefings and debriefing are crucial in digital leadership. Determine which digital solutions are more suitable for the needs of your teams, help them become familiar with methodologies and tools and, above all, with the new way of communicating.

Challenge yourself in finding your own style being a better digital leader. Stephen Covey said: ““Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.”

Nowadays and for the future world of work, developing remote leadership skills is important and strategic for any career development.

Make your remote leadership enhancement one of your priorities! 

Enza Artino

Wyser Key Resources Development Senior Manager at Gi Group

Gi Group is one of the world’s leading companies providing services for the development of the labour market. The Group is active in the fields of temporary and permanent staffing, search and selection, HR consulting and training, as well as in a variety of complementary activities.