Leaders Lens

The Future of Work: 4 Steps to Optimise your Leadership
As humans, we bond through shared experiences. This made the traditional office environment an easy place for teams to thrive. However, the future of work is dramatically different, where teams may or may not share a physical space. Leaders must now architect and engage their teams in ways that support productivity, well-being and profitability. If, for example, the majority of a team is in an office space and 3 people are not going into that space, they are not having an architected shared experience - FACT. As the common thread between all team members, the role of leader in helping to bridge this gap and enabling blended teams to excel is paramount.

In our work with leadership teams, we have found it is possible to lead from anywhere AND have engaged, productive teams – but it takes skill, commitment and intentionality. Take these 4 steps to optimising your leadership today:

1
It starts with YOU: Leaders must have a consciousness and willingness to do more to break the status quo. As a leader, Know Yourself First - Reflect on your views to remote working, such as a presenteeism bias or other blind spots that might exist. Examine your behaviours - what are you doing and not doing to enable your remote workers to be just as effective as their office-based colleagues? Set clear expectations with the team by agreeing the Ways of Working to guide individual behaviours and collective accountability.
2
Use the TOOLS: Decide on Which online tools you will use as a team and for What and When - then USE the tools to optimise the team dynamic and productivity. Decide what communications need to be synchronous (real time) and asynchronous (delayed) for optimum collaboration. Consider a remote-first approach If one is Remote, we are all Remote to ensure a level-playing field, combined with set in-person days for real-time collaboration and team building.
3
Lead the HUMANS: Set the tone by encouraging openness, visibility and engagement. Encourage contribution by actively listening, to seek the opinions of all team members and ensure they feel heard. Regular check-ins (not check-ups) are a good way to ensure you are keeping in touch with remote team members and prioritising their well-being. Deepen connection by planning regular events such as virtual coffee breaks or team-building activities where work is not the priority, allowing people to get to know each other on a more personal level.
4
Keep INNOVATING: Regularly review with team members on what's working and what's not. Be solution-focussed with an open mindset and be willing to change course. As a leader you must be prepared to communicate the vision AND the granularity of how, but above all, your willingness to Listen, Reflect and Pivot.

By taking these steps, Leaders can help to shape a future where work is not just a place but a purpose-driven experience, where collective goals are achieved, and all team members feel motivated to perform at their best regardless of place or time. 

Get in touch with our expert team today to discuss how we can work with you to better optimise your team’s performance

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