Leading Organizations and Managing Yourself in Next-Phase COVID-19
Navigating the new realities of work
New York City has entered a more liberal form of lockdown easing — a welcome development for business that heralds the beginning of a “new normal” in work and personal lives. It’s a transition that’s being played out across the country and the world.
COVID-19 thrust organizations domestically and globally into a rapid-onset, non-negotiable work-from-home (WFH) environment for all but the most essential frontline workers.
Adapting to WFH has certainly included its fair share of growing pains, technical issues with videoconferencing platforms and security issues with Zoom among them. Yet overall, CEOs and senior leaders at companies large and small say they are surprised and pleased by how quickly their teams have adapted.
In many cases, WFH has increased productivity. Employees are now being judged largely on their output instead of on in-person interpersonal dynamics, which tend to elevate the value of extroverts who excel at face-to-face interactions.
Continuing Momentum
Among the big questions that leaders and workers face:
· Will these gains continue?
· How will the return to the “new” workplace affect productivity and employee morale?
· Is there a silver lining for career advancement?
CEOs and senior leaders are grappling with a new reality: They must continue managing and driving business forward — largely remotely — in an ever-changing environment. Infectious-disease specialists warn that until there’s a vaccine or effective treatment, living with COVID-19 is a more reasonable expectation than operating in an environment where it no longer poses a threat.
The key to success, management experts say, is to continue communicating frequently and transparently — to impress upon employees what is being done to maintain their physical and mental wellness as well as helping them remain technologically agile.
Noted executive leadership coach and 42-time book author Marshall Goldsmith says that in uncertain times, teams and individuals need to be reassured. They also want leaders who are direct. A model conversation between senior leaders and employees during a crisis, he says, might go like this:
“Let me be clear. Things are going to change. They’re probably going to change. The strategy we have today may not be — probably will not be — our strategy five years from today, and maybe [not] five months from today, and maybe not five days from today… When these changes occur, I’m going to talk to you immediately.”
Goldsmith, speaking recently at a virtual event that I attended on leading during crisis, emphasized that, now more than ever, CEOs need to share more-frequent communications to address insecurity and keep teams focused. One has to look no further than the recent COVID-19 surge in western and southern states to see how quickly circumstances can change.
It’s not just messaging about business strategy that’s important.
Rethink Talent Development, Don’t Abandon It
Professor Sydney Finkelstein of Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business says focusing on talent development during remote work is critical to keeping employees engaged.
Freezing growth opportunities sends the wrong message. When you do that, he says, “you send the signal that your [employees’] future is not important.” That could mean an exodus, especially of high performers, who will depart for companies where their futures are put first.
So, practically, what is the best way to achieve this?
Many companies have reduced or eliminated training-development budgets due to revenue losses from the virus. Dartmouth’s Finkelstein, speaking at a Knowledge at Wharton event, said taking time to show sincere appreciation to your teams can motivate them.
One of the best ways of increasing bonds, he says, is to carve out individual time for one-on-one meetings with each of your team members. Ask them how they’re doing and what their career goals are. Most importantly, “help them get there.”
Think Partnering, Not Coaching
What role should senior leaders adopt in this new environment? Finkelstein, the author of 25 books and an expert on business leadership and strategy, says those who lead teams need to shift their thinking.
Think of your relationship with your team members as a partnership, he says. When you partner with members of the team you lead, you’re “helping them execute.” You’re making a clear commitment that “you care about each individual person and that you want them to succeed.”
What Can Employees Do?
What if you’re not a member of senior leadership? Maybe you manage only a small team or are an individual contributor. How can you best advocate for your future in a hybrid or fully WFH environment?
I asked Goldsmith this question in a virtual discussion. He said that part one, of course, is doing your job well. But part two is getting the attention of those who can influence your career path.
“Part of your life is doing good work. But part of your life is that you are your own marketing function. If you don’t build your own brand, well, no one is going to know about the good work that you’re doing. And why is anyone listening to me right now? Because I have a brand.” He went on to say, “If you do want to get promoted, you need to explain why you want get promoted…you need to communicate what you’re doing and why you deserve to be promoted. In other words, you gotta sell.”
And yes, you can sell yourself virtually.
Professor Finkelstein advises making the most of face-to-face meetings (even if by video platform).
This one-on-one time is “golden,” he says. Don’t waste it. Have a meaningful conversation with your boss. Leave the slide decks and updates behind. Determine in advance everything that can be shared in a separate exchange — before the meeting — and use your time more effectively once the meeting takes place.
“It’s about talking, listening, and interacting,” Finkelstein advises.
A New Paradigm: Be Proactive
Another piece of advice: Show your value by offering to take on a challenge your organization might face or seize upon an opportunity you envision on the horizon.
“What’s good about this crisis is it gets us off of the treadmill — the day-to-day treadmill of who we were — and really gets us to look at new things,” Goldsmith says. “It gets us to look at the new world in a different way.”
The intriguing positive business reality of COVID-19 is that it can mean a fresh slate for ideas and career paths. That means using uncertainty to create new opportunities and more-innovative ways of thinking and collaborating.
For more ideas on leading effectively while #WFH, explore this article with perspective from CEOs @Accenture, @Verizon @Celanese. https://bit.ly/MediumCEO
