Have today’s managers already incorporated distance leadership into their DNA?
There is no doubt that our working world has changed since the coronavirus and the associated lockdowns. The term “place of work” has taken on a whole new dimension: working from home and online meetings were suddenly – not to say from one day to the next – taken for granted. The overwhelming demands of many employees and managers at the time have now been replaced by the fact that this form of collaboration is taken for granted – or is it?
Distance leadership, i.e., managing employees remotely because they are not physically in the same place, requires a different approach and behaviour to achieve tasks and goals successfully.
Many companies report positive developments in the context of this new “collaboration setting” and have implemented the home office as a fixed component in their organisations. (Besides long commuting times for employees, a shared office can save on expensive office space. In the context of employer branding, the home office is an attractive benefit…..)
On the other hand, other companies deliberately want to return to the “old world of work.” “If someone is not at their desk in the office, they are not working – out of sight, out of mind.” This attitude will be of little help when recruiting new talent, especially concerning the new generations entering the labour market – keyword Gen-Z.
The fact is that the changing world of work has long been in full swing, and the right approach is required to meet the equally changing demands of managers.
However, the essential requirement has not changed: Goals must be achieved!
The real challenge that many companies fail to meet is that this is now to be achieved based on hybrid collaboration settings without compromising on quality.
A professional development of competences for distance leadership is still required. Sending out an appointment for an online meeting alone is not enough to lead successfully.
Instead, it is about empowering employees to be able to interact in a virtual space. It is not about power and control, the distribution of tasks, and their micromanagement, which is intended to ensure that work is “really” done in the home office. Clear target agreements, intensive communication (virtual and/or in the office), and self-organisation are the basis for this.
The prerequisites that managers should have for these changes can be found, on the one hand, in their attitude and, on the other hand, in creating the necessary framework conditions. If the new circumstances are accepted for themselves and in the form of cooperation, the manager can also “lead.” The promotion of independence coupled with the corresponding trust is a good starting point. On the other hand, it is up to managers to create an appropriate “organisational design” in cooperation with employees to make the necessary adjustments on a structural and procedural level. Reflecting on one’s mindset and analysing one’s personal skill set is just as relevant as mastering a toolset.
Communicated goals are the top priority for employees. This may sound obvious, but it is essential in the context of distance leadership. In addition, clarity about instructions given by the manager is essential. The aforementioned micromanagement would contradict the desired autonomous work. However, this should not be confused with the opportunity for professional dialogue with managers and colleagues, as feedback is the decisive tool and guarantees opportunities for discussion.
An essential element that can be regarded as absolutely indispensable is the adept handling of the necessary remote technology. Handling cameras, microphones, headsets, and the like should no longer be a challenge. However, a shared understanding of their use requires appropriate interactions and agreements between managers and employees: e.g., will the camera always be switched on? Who moderates? Speaking time limits, etc.
In addition, what rules have been agreed upon regarding availability in the home office? Which interfaces need to be defined and worked out together? Is there a clearly defined meeting structure?
Another core element of remote management and, above all, collaboration is using and implementing a collaboration tool that meets the organisation’s requirements. In addition to Microsoft applications, Atlassian offers formats for agile project management or as a ticket system, whiteboard, etc.
The critical question is: How do I ensure that all employees – whether they are involved in a meeting virtually or physically – are informed about the relevant information and next steps?
In addition to the “content-related” meeting component, it is also up to managers to support virtual/hybrid exchanges to give space to topics that do not focus exclusively on work and thus enable networking.
In conclusion, it can be said that the changes that distance leadership skills demand of managers still cannot be ticked off as “done.” To keep up with the digital natives, managers need to be highly willing to engage with the virtual world on the one hand and, on the other, be aware that leadership per se cannot be left to digital tools, but must be carried out by today’s managers in a present, hybrid and remote manner.
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