How do I manage and lead my team remotely?
This is a monthly column where I answer a scenario based on real life events so that we can all learn and improve our leadership techniques. Find out below how to submit yours.
The situation
I am a junior partner in a medium size regional law firm. Despite some weeks of starting to get back to the office now, in light of the revised Regulations, we will be working from home again and for up to another six months.
The problem
My challenge is how to manage my team/managers remotely during this sustained period of working from home?
The impact
Although the more senior members of the team are seemingly enjoying working from home and their performance isn’t affected, some team members are struggling with the isolation and lack of motivation. I’m also sensing some of my team (generally the more junior members) are not developing as well as they would be if they were in the office.
The need
I need to bring the team together to manage them remotely.
The solution
Let’s unpick this question (like we were taught to do at school with essays!) before we answer it.
Management v Leadership
You mention the need to manage your team remotely.
Going back to basics, the verb ‘to manage’ means ‘to be in charge of’. But how much is this definition appropriate in a modern legal firm?
I’ve answered one question with another, quite provocative, question! So let me explain…
The word ‘management’ is incredibly overused these days. And it is most often used to describe those people responsible for the work and performance of others. A quite typical definition from management narrative is:
“the process of planning, organising, directing and controlling the work of organisation members and of using all available organisational resources to reach stated organisational goals.”
Now I don’t know about you, but when running the law firm I set up within a top 30 accountancy practice, being responsible for the work and performance of others went beyond mere “planning, organising, directing and controlling” their work.
Instead, what we are often seeking from those in senior positions in law firms is the creation of a team that has momentum and an impetus of its own where:
the team are all going in the same direction;
there is high morale and involvement;
high achievement exists, consistently;
special demands are met;
there is a high reputation; and
change is successfully managed.
These outcomes are achieved by leaders rather than managers. By that I mean that they don’t just react to situations, they created the situation through their own personal vision, energy and transformational skills.
Not only that, they are also developers. Because part of their vision is to see their people performing at their very best, enabling and stimulating them to become the best they could be, and doing whatever was necessary to bring this about.
And this is achievable (and more important than ever!) when we are working remotely from each other.
So, ask yourself “what is it you really want?”
Is it to learn to plan, organise, direct and control your team remotely?
Or is it to create a team characterised by the list above, which you lead and develop whether that’s in person or remotely?
I challenge you it’s the latter (but please do contact me if it is management skills you’re after and we can have a chat about that!) so I’ll continue on that basis.
Leadership skills within your team
So let’s replace ‘manage’ with ‘lead’ in your question “How do I lead my team/managers remotely?’ and examine the first half of that question.
Despite common statements to the contrary, I believe we can all learn to be great leaders (we don’t have to be ‘born leaders’!).
What this takes is to make the decision to equip ourselves with a key mindset, some skills and a process.
Visioning
So let’s start with the first and very important step of this process; Visioning, which is also a key skill to master.
Step 1: Ask yourself: what is your personal style that you want to project?
I’d suggest you want to exude trust, interest, warmth and humanity. It’s a fine line between being everyone’s buddy and aloofness, particularly when working remotely.
Being approachable but not overly friendly is where we want to be as leaders.
Step 2: Gather information: speak to your team to establish facts and viewpoints.
Develop your listening and questioning skills. Observe differences between what is said and done and where improvements can be made.
Bear in mind it has been six months now since lockdown first occurred, what lessons have you and your team learned?
Step 3: Consider: what does the present situation tell you?
Ensure you sift through the information and form views without jumping to conclusions. Manage the complexity rather than getting submerged by it and analyse the present situation correction.
Step 4: Create: play around with what your future vision is.
Use your findings above to develop a clear future sense of direction about what is to be done. Include within that vision everyone in the team preforming a their very best and being the best they can be.
Try this exercise:
Let your mind project forward one or two years into the future
How will your team be performing?
Describe in concrete terms (bullet points, not an essay!) what they will actually be doing and how you will know they are succeeding.
Repeat this for each individual member of the team.
Now look backwards from this future position and break it down to steps – literally! - you could draw out a flight of steps between each of the team members up to you in your future position. Get clarity on what each individual’s steps will need to be for them to join you at that position in the future.
Step 5: Communicate: how will you transmit enthusiasm for and commitment to your vision.
Will you have online 121’s or a team meeting or a mixture of both
How will you inspire the team to join you?
Leadership: Key Skills
Although this can take some time investment, creating your vision and then mobilising your team towards it will require you to master (or polish off) some key skills of:
Explicitness; a very underestimated skill, which is imperative in communicating your vision and setting ongoing expectations.
Assertiveness; being assertive doesn’t mean aggressive and maintaining it can leave you feeling like a stuck record! But it is imperative leaders can maintain this.
Feedback; this key skill is not just about how to give feedback but extends to how to seek out feedback and learning the skill of receiving feedback.
Resilience; you will need to be able to retain momentum and direction regardless of challenges and hurdles.
Rewards and consequences; developing a skill for the effective and subtle use of rewards and consequences can create powerful behavioural changes.
Review your vision above with these key skills in mind to develop it further ready for kick off!
Face to face v Remote working
When we create our vision in this way and know how to mobilise our team members towards it using these key skills, whether we are leading face to face or remotely is not so much of a concern.
We will know how each team member fits into our vision and what their steps are towards that. Therefore we will know what each of them needs to mobilise them forward. To translate this between face to face working to remote working will not seem like the hurdle that it is now.
Pulling it all together
Although there is more to leadership than I have conveyed in this summary, such as examining and developing your mindset and other steps of the leadership process, this gives you a starting point.
Set aside some time to create your vision following the guidance above. Watch how many of the puzzle pieces of ‘how to lead your team remotely’ start to fall into place already!
And remember the rewards you and your team will see some of which being:
the team are all going in the same direction;
there is high moral and involvement;
high achievement exists, consistently;
special demands are met;
there is a high reputation; and
change is successfully managed.
And reach out to me if you require any support in doing this and when you’re ready to learn more about the key mindset and the rest of the leadership process!
Good luck!
The StressLess Clinic column
This is a monthly column, which is part of the StressLess Clinic that supports leaders in professional practice. The solutions are drawn from the core of Flying Free or Fly Higher programme, which incorporates Liberating Leadership or Pioneering Professional.
Each month I answer a scenario based on real life events so that we can all learn and improve our leadership techniques. All scenarios are anonymised so it’s just coincidence if they remind you of a colleague; we all experience similar issues!
If you’d like to submit a ‘situation’ to be considered and (if you’re the chosen one!) responded to, please do so via the Contact page on my website! Subscribe to the Skylark Post to ensure you get this monthly column and other news delivered directly to your inbox!
