The Right Way to Start a New Leadership Role in a Virtual Environment
Hello There!
In this current climate, many new leaders are starting new positions with a new organization within a virtual environment. As if it wasn’t difficult enough to start a new role as a leader, now you must do it from afar, perhaps from the corner of your home. The most important thing about starting a new role in a virtual environment is building relationships with your team members and maintaining them in the right manner. They’re going to have your back and you’re going to have their front.
I want to address 4 important steps as far as doing that.
Set up a regular cadence of 1:1s to meet with your team members through video sessions, so that you have a special time to connect and share the most important things with them. These should be ideally video sessions so you can connect as intimately as possible without being able to meet in person.
Communicate through various methods and channels: (videos, e-mails, and telephone). You might see this as a contradiction, though it’s not. For example, you may be leading a team with various time zones or different needs within their respective households due to the pandemic. That’s why it’s very important for leaders to be flexible during this time. Maybe it’s a video on some days. There could be other forms of communication on alternating days including by the telephone or e-mail. Make sure you match the communication vehicle with the right information and appropriate timeframe for respective team members.
Send snail mail tokens of appreciation to get their attention in a positive manner. It provides a special touch that is needed in these challenging times. For example, if someone did a great job instead of sending them an e-mail, how about popping in a special gift in their mailbox. At home, they will open their mail and be surprised. While it may seem like something small. It is rather huge because not only is it a token of appreciation, but it’s also unexpected and received in a different manner than usual accolades.
Connect with your team members by sharing personal similarities. There’s no other way as effective to connect with others than by personally sharing information. This doesn’t have to be anything major but could be quite simple, like you both have pets, children or like to travel.
There are different ways that you can share personal similarities and use those as brides to connect with your team members.
If you need coaching or know someone who does, do take advantage of a complimentary consultation with me to explore fit for leadership transformation.
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Have a wonderful day!
Dr. Lepora
