Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of leaders are now forced to lead the charge from the comforts of their own homes. And while working in your pajamas sounds ideal, the lack of face-to-face contact can make matters rather challenging at times. If you find yourself in this predicament, here are a few tips to help you along the way.
Remain Accessible
There are a lot of comforts that come with having management within an arm’s reach, but when that privilege is stripped away, the smallest tasks can become complicated. This is why it is so important to let your employees know that you are always one call, text message, email, or instant message away. Remaining available to handle all concerns, just as you would under normal pretenses, will keep any unnecessary issues at bay.
Reach Out to Your Team On an Individual Basis
Making an effort to reach out to everyone on an individual basis shows that you are a compassionate leader who refuses to leave anyone behind or lost without guidance. Sending a simple direct message or extending a weekly phone call will do the trick. This will give you the opportunity to check everyone’s temperature and to assure that all daily tasks are being handled according to plan. Just be sure not to reach out too frequently so that you won’t disrupt the workflow.
Set Clear Goals and Expectations
As a results-driven leader, it is up to you to set achievable goals and to ensure that the proper action is taken to make good on them. You can expect there to be more distractions when working from home, so offer a bit of leeway but not enough to convince anyone that it is okay to slack off. Schedule regular meetings to discuss objectives, and follow up to ensure that everyone is putting forth their full effort. Welcome any feedback, and see what steps you can take to make matters easier for your team.
Understand that you will have to endure a trial and error phase and that the space barrier might present a series of problems that are both unique and unexpected. But as you press forward and learn from your obstacles, leading your team on a virtual basis will soon become second nature.