By Niel Steinmann, Founder of Peoples Dynamic Development
One of the most defining qualities of the human species is that we have the potential to do more together than what we do by ourselves.
According to Gallup, 84% of the work done in organisations happen in teams, yet leaders are not taught how to lead teams or how to build them- and now the challenge is VIRTUAL. Leaders should be mindful of the fact that “the way we work” has fundamentally changed. The demand for remote collaboration will only increase – remote meetings and a need for virtual collaboration has been amplified as face-to-face meetings are fast becoming exceptions rather than the rule.
But take heart … It is one of the most defining qualities of the human species. We have the potential to do more together than what we do by ourselves. Tom Peters proclaimed many years ago that “great individuals do not equal great teams”. Clearly leaders will be challenged to build and lead teams virtually. Leaders that get it right will have a few things in common: good communication skills, high emotional intelligence, an ability to encourage their team to work independently, and the resilience to stay focused on the mission despite the snafus that inevitably arise from the pandemic.
So here are six fundamental principles for leaders as they guide and lead their teams.
Well before the crisis, many businesses pursued digital transformation initiatives to support their growth. Some started to migrate to hybrid clouds while others modernised their financial software or employed digital technologies to improve the customer experience. But what was a discretionary, self-paced transformation has now become an urgent priority. Teams have essentially been given a very small window of opportunity to try out and get accustomed to operating virtually, for staff to work from home and still create value for the customer all at once. It is this human side of digital transformation that could well be underestimated by leaders. There is now more than ever a compelling case to do things differently! Leaders should seize the narrative about the challenges and be transparent about current realities—including what they don’t know—while also painting a compelling picture of the future that inspires others to persevere and stay in it.
In times of stress, change or crisis, people fall back on what is comfortable to them. The COVID crisis has taken away what was comfortable and known to teams, the in-person office conversations with co-workers, the informal chats after the Ops meeting or just the connect opportunities after work.
Leaders must understand that for people; their natural way of thinking and what they are passionate about doing, i.e., their strengths, are still present, even when they work remotely. Remember that strengths are those tendencies that come natural, or activities that make people feel strong, where work is easier, more enjoyable and more rewarding.
Team members will react differently in times of disruption and their strengths will influence those reactions. When leaders understand that their team members are beautifully and annoyingly different they can engage them in activities that “make them feel strong” and more engaged. Given the business impact of engagement, it stands to reason how important engagement is during difficult times.