By Abby Dryer
The American workforce has transitioned online. What can leaders do to continue a positive work environment in the digital workspace?
COVID-19 turned even the best of businesses on their heads. Workplaces turned virtual. Rush-hour commutes to the office turned into navigating abandoned LEGOs on the walk to the kitchen table. People could no longer depend on the stability of what they were used to, so the world started to learn new ways of doing things. These changes, consequently, have helped to change how leaders utilize communication, empathy, organization, and creativity in these new online workspaces.
Communication
While people think that communicating online versus in-person is the same, they’re actually completely different. When face-to-face, your message is made up of your tone, body language, and words, whereas online communication relies on your words alone. Without these extra hints on what your message may be, “your tone, instruction, and feedback can become lost in translation”[1]. With less context to depend on, leaders need to focus on what their message actually conveys. Much confusion in business communication can come with unnecessary length. The longer the message, the more space for the intent to be lost. Virtual leaders should avoid this by working to become clear and concise[2]. Cut to the chase whenever possible—coworkers and employees appreciate short and easy-to-understand memos.
42% of the U.S. labor workforce was working from home in June of 2020 due to the pandemic.[3]
When possible, turn on your camera. Trust can be harder to acquire online because we have a harder time weeding out deceptions. Our brains use nonverbal cues like inconsistent facial expressions and shifts in body language to detect whether or not those we are speaking to are telling us the truth[4]. Think about the last time you faked a smile or a laugh. It can seem so effortless, but we may not realize that it may look effortless as well. Leaders should work to improve this nonverbal communication when at all possible to improve communication and trust among the group.
Empathy
Ching-Hsiang Liu said the three E’s of leadership are envisioning, energizing, and enabling[5]. Along with these three, there’s a fourth E that could be considered to be included on the list: empathy. A good leader should utilize this fourth E to better understand those they are leading.
Leaders can be given the stigma that they are better than those in their group. Leaders try to give all the answers in response to these perceived expectations. However, many of the best leaders are not afraid to admit when they are wrong. “They should admit they do not possess all the answers to the problem at hand . . .”[6]. Contrary to what the leaders (and even the employees) may believe, not every leader has all the answers. As a leader, you do not need to be afraid to admit that you are wrong. Admitting you are wrong or do not know the right answer is a great act of humility. Humility, in turn, will help your group understand and appreciate you.
More than ever, people need to know they are being heard and cared about. In a crisis, uncertainty is more prevalent than ever. Employees need to feel that they are being heard and understood. Dan Pontefract says, “Empathy is a multi-faceted concept. At its root is your ability to proactively—and sometimes reactively—consider the emotional feelings and intellectual thoughts of the other person”[7]. Empathy is coming to understand the other person. As a leader, you should understand those you lead. Hold virtual office hours and one-on-one meetings to help check up on your team. Be able to see and understand where your employees are coming from. And don’t be afraid to check in on your team whenever you feel a need.
Organization
Most mornings start the same way for all of us. We have our usual routine of getting ready, the morning commute, talking with coworkers, and getting started on our daily tasks. The pandemic has changed this entire daily routine. “The new normal is isolation. The routine has been upended”[8]. As a leader, you should be working to create new team norms to establish routines your team can depend on. Start in the morning with a daily virtual huddle. Here you can give updates, a pep talk, discuss daily tasks, or even get to know an employee better[9]. This meeting does not need to be long or extensive, but it should be something to get your team on the same page. A virtual huddle can also add a great sense of normalcy to the workday. The team can feel encouraged and included in a group before starting their daily tasks alone.
Virtual workdays have set a lot of expectations on their head, but having realistic work goals is still a vital part of an efficient team and leader. The to-do list can go on and on if you let it. Create a plan and schedule that everyone on the team can understand[10]. Having a realistic to-do list will help your team to know what they should be doing and manage their own work schedules. Seeing a schedule and keeping track of progress will help to see what has been done and what needs to be done. Use what you have, and don’t try to pile too much on your team because you have not properly planned out the tasks.
Creativity
Remember the old saying, “Desperate times call for desperate measures”? This idea is the same for leadership. Sometimes when things go wrong, as a leader, you need to make creative decisions to get everything working how it needs to be. Zoom leadership leaves room for a lot of creative problem solving.
Let your employees have time to stretch their own creative muscles. Others may have ideas that you have not thought of, and their ideas may help you to solve glaring problems in your team. Melody Bowdon’s tip for leading in a crisis is “harnessing [team] expertise and honoring their creativity, ingenuity, and concern”[11]. With many minds, you can come to strong conclusions. Every member of the team has their own ideas and background. Listening to these ideas is vital for solving hard problems. As a leader, it can be hard to delegate tasks. But taking on too much can hurt the team as a whole. Turn weaknesses into strengths[12]. Where one member may struggle, another may excel. As a leader, you should see where every member may shine, and you should not be afraid to delegate tasks.
Conclusion
Leading virtually may not be the same as leading in person, but with the right outlook, you can still succeed. Know what your group needs from you. Talk to your team and be sure to make connections with each of your team members. The changes in the workplace due to COVID-19 can make teams feel disoriented and lonely, so create a safe space and routine for your team to rely on. Don’t be afraid to get creative. Things may look different now, but different can be just as good, if not better, as the routines in place from before. Step out of your comfort zone and log onto Zoom because virtual leaders can still make a huge impact on a team.
[1] Grzeskowiak, Rachel, “4 Vital Virtual Leadership Skills: You Will Be Heading in the Right Direction if You Focus on These Essential Skills”, Leadership Excellence 37, no.9 (September 2020): 30-32. http://search.ebscohost.com.erl.lib.byu.edu/login.aspxdirect=true&db=buh&AN=147634065&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
[2] Grzeskowiak, Rachel, “4 Vital Virtual Leadership Skills: You Will Be Heading in the Right Direction if You Focus on These Essential Skills.”
[3] Wong, May, “Stanford Research Provides a Snapshot of a New Working-from-home Economy.” Stanford News. Stanford University, June 29, 2020. https://news.stanford.edu/2020/06/29/snapshot-new-working-home-economy/
[4] Dana R. Carney, “Ten Things Every Manager Should Know about Nonverbal Behavior.” California Management Review 63, no. 2 (February 2021): 5-22. doi:10.1177/0008125620982663.
[5] Ching-Hsiang Liu. “Leadership: Qualities, Skills, and Efforts.” Interbeing 4 no. 2 (Fall/Winter 2010):19-25.http://search.ebscohost.com.erl.lib.byu.edu/login.aspxdirect=true&db=buh&AN=62566669&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
[6] Russell, Craig, and Joel Amernic. 2020. “The Language of Leadership in a Deadly Pandemic.” Strategy & Leadership 48, no. 5 (September 2020): 41-47. doi:10.1108/SL-05-2020-0068.
[7] Pontefract Dan. “How to Become a Caring Remote Leader: Six Simple Leadership Tactics.” Leadership Excellence 37, no. 9 (September 2020): 9-11. http://search.ebscohost.com.erl.lib.byu.edu/login.aspxdirect=true&db=buh&AN=147634058&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
[8] Pontefract Dan. “How to Become a Caring Remote Leader: Six Simple Leadership Tactics.”
[9] Pontefract Dan. “How to Become a Caring Remote Leader: Six Simple Leadership Tactics.”
[10] Grzeskowiak, Rachel, “4 Vital Virtual Leadership Skills: You Will Be Heading in the Right Direction if You Focus on These Essential Skills.”
[11] Bowdon, Melody, “Generating Faculty Leadership in a Crisis.” The Journal of Faculty Development 34, no. 3 (September 2020): 43-46.
[12] Ching-Hsiang Liu. “Leadership: Qualities, Skills, and Efforts.”
