Are you challenged to keep your team engaged while working virtually? We've shared these tips so much recently that we thought you'd benefit from a summary…
How do you apply your leadership capabilities to what may be an entirely new context – leading a team that is working entirely or partially from home? Our first reminder is that much of what worked for you when everyone was in the office still applies! Don’t sell yourself short on your ability to keep the vision and accountabilities moving forward. However, challenges that may have already existed with individual associates and team dynamics won’t go away – as a matter of fact, they may become more apparent or intensify. It’s important to notice them and decide how to handle them.
Here are some ideas to help you keep your team engaged and tackling the most important work priorities as we shift from exclusively working as an intact team at a designated office space.
THE APPROACH
While you may be most interested in practical tips, we believe that your approach is most important.
1. Set ground rules and expectations with the team – Especially in times of crisis, you may decide to communicate as much information as possible, as frequently as possible. It’s important to be intentional about the frequency, duration and purpose of virtual meetings. As situations change, consider revisiting the construct of how meetings are held and conducted.
PRO TIP: Cameras on or off? “Zoom fatigue” is a real thing. While experts generally recommend to always turn the camera on when you have a choice, it’s worth noting that this can be overdone. It’s up to you to determine what works best for your team. Consider the value of having everyone turn on their cameras and strike a balance with this. Our suggestion is that, for groups larger than four participants, cameras should be on, unless specific situations or extenuating circumstances prevent someone from doing so.
2. Revisit expectations – given that many organizations aren’t returning to offices in the near future, it is important to revisit expectations that were initially created when teams were sent home from the office at the start of the pandemic. Even if we return by Labor Day, we are only now at the “halfway point.”
PRO TIP: Consider the value of having a “halftime check-in” with your team by re-visiting the way you do work. Dedicate an entire meeting or the beginning of each meeting to discussion centered on these questions. You’ll learn some key insights from your team while inviting them to actively engage in decisions that will have a direct impact on their lives.
o What is working so far?
o What is not working so far, or may have outlived its usefulness?
o What is something creative that we can try to optimize the way we work as a team?
3. Determine how to distinguish “Work Accomplished” from “Hours Worked” – take time to clarify the priorities of your team, as well as who is responsible for certain work streams. Encourage your associates to leverage existing tools, including capacity trackers, milestone charts, and project charters.
4. Check in more than you check up. As the leader, of course you need to make sure that work streams are continuing and that business is moving forward. But, losing sight of HOW that work is getting done (your talented associates!) will cost you in the end through disengagement. Taking the time to see how they are doing, what support they need, what will help them stay engaged is a critical part of leading. If they only experience you texting, calling or emailing with status updates about the latest project, they may become frustrated or feel unappreciated.
PRO TIP: Learn about their situation: Honor that no two work from home spaces or situations are the same. Some are at their kitchen table, or in their bedroom, not in a lavish home office. Some aren’t as tech savvy as others. That doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t have the same value to the team, or motivation to be productive. Give them grace and support! Also, keep in mind that working partners, the presence of kids, pets and live-in parents also add a layer to the challenge for all of us.
PRO TIP: Ask them how they’d like for you to follow up with them. Think of this time as though you’ve just hired a brand new team and are in the first 90 days in-role. Having a beginner’s mindset can help you find new ways of working and leading. Giving them ownership over their interactions with you will pay off. Ask questions and listen intently.
5. Lighten up: Consider ways to bring necessary social connections to virtual meetings. Some leaders use a “question of the day” to begin meetings (favorite restaurant, something fun your family did this week, showing pictures of special people/places). Others have implemented a specific day where a regularly-scheduled meeting is a phone call only so members of the team can move around. Hint: It’s great to move throughout the day!
PRO TIP: Get people moving. Make a meeting intentionally different. Our team does a “Walking Wednesday” for one of our 30-minute meetings - just one of the ways we try to mix it up a bit.
PRO TIP: Shorten 60-minute meetings to 50 minutes (or less). If you have an hour scheduled, chances are you’ll use it. The same applies to shorter meetings. See if you can afford the opportunity to cover more information in less time.
THE PRACTICAL
If you’re here for the “Practical” tips, here they are. This certainly isn’t an exhaustive list, but will at least get you started.
1. Hone your technology game – Take additional time to learn how to better navigate WebEx, Jabber, MS Teams and other popular, secure platforms. Can you start that next meeting without asking, “Can you see me?” or “Can you hear me?” because you’re that confident in your ability to use the techology. Your setup and background also matter, especially lighting. If you are able, position yourself in front of a window or light so everyone can see your face. Close curtains or blinds behind you to prevent you from showing up with heavy shadowing.
PRO TIP: Utilize the chat function and live polling to engage large teams. Don’t assume that everyone can speak up from the setting they are in (maybe they’re holding a sleeping baby or have kids being loud in the background) or are as extroverted as others. The chat provides a great opportunity for everyone to share ideas.
PRO TIP: Prompt the team to answer an open-ended question using the chat function or to request particular agenda items to be discussed.
2. Up your communication game – while there are some differences to looking at a screen versus in-person meetings, many of the same skills are critical to ensure you’re communicating effectively.
o Use pauses to give your team a chance to consider your questions and then to come off of mute and respond. Remember, it will often feel longer to you than it does to your listeners. Use silence strategically!
o Place your camera at eye level. If need be, stack books to get your laptop higher. It’s a better viewing experience when you’re listeners aren’t looking at you from an angle.
o Remember that the camera represents their eyes. When you are speaking, look into the camera, not at the faces on the screen (or yourself). This will help increase the feeling that you are trying to see them. If you’re tempted to look at yourself, you can change the settings to “speaker view” or “gallery view”. Experiment with the optimal setting for you.
o Always assume that your camera is on – if the meeting is running, consider anything you say or do (including your eye rolls!) to be viewable, even if the camera is turned off. You’ll thank us later for this tip! You can cover your camera with a post-it note or a camera cover if you want an extra layer of security.
o Never assume that your chat is private – most chat functions default to “message everyone” on the call, and you must change it if you want to send a private message to another meeting participant.
PRO TIP: The moderator receives a full transcript of ALL chat conversations, including the private ones between individuals. You might even share this reality with your teams so they aren’t sending messages they will later regret.
Start experimenting in your next virtual meeting with these tips and let us know what is working well for you. Also let us know what challenges you encounter and how we can support you as you lead your team in the weeks and months ahead.
If you’ve read this far and want a downloadable pdf of this summary, visit HERE to grab it.