Blame COVID for the GOOD Changes That Have Redefined Great Management

In looking for examples of positive impact that COVID has had, one place that this is increasingly evident is within the business world. And specifically, the impact on those having leadership responsibilities within any organization. The obvious need to learn how to effectively lead the company, the team or department while so many have worked remotely is something about which most have had zero experience. And still, the leader is overall responsible for achieving the results needed for success.

The successful manager in today’s ‘new normal’ has had to make real shifts in the focus that successful leading requires. They include these key changes:

• Embracing remote work as being normal to an ongoing degree
  • This means that measurement of work will be more dependent on actual output rather than working side by side and in-person observation

    

• An increased role of technology in employee management
  • Having a team working remotely eliminates visual observation to judge productivity and focus. This has required the use of technology to evaluate a person’s performance based on achieved output. 

• Recognizing changing employee expectation related to what they need
  • Remote workers have entered a new arena that has them needing to deal with other realities. The need for childcare or being involved in family management has required leaders to develop awareness and respect for these added needs 

THE CHANGES THE GREAT LEADING WILL REQUIRE

Doing research on this topic resulted in some significant changes that any level of management has made. These changes have and are allowing the organization to succeed … either by remaining in business or in achieving significant success. There are some key qualities that are allowing those in management to earn high marks by their employees and/or team members:

• Stepping up by recognizing and adapting to the challenges
  • Checking in with the team members frequently and consistently
  • Being available to guide in the use of technology that has become key
  • Being aware of and providing challenged team member with resources to help them overcome and adjust to their new work-related challenges.

• The leader’s awareness of a personal need for additional training
  • Recognition that remote leading is quite different and requires different skills and sensitivities in order to have reports want to follow the lead.
  • Establishing acceptable behaviors for the likes of remote meetings that include acceptable behaviors that facilitate good exchange.
  • The needed ability to encourage individual growth and development of skills and knowledge that will further the reports contribution to success.
  • Learning to be more sensitive to added challenges faced by many as they became and continue on the remote work path.
  • How to establish check-in communication and reporting without creating a sense of micro-management.
    
    
• Becoming master listeners

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    Ask reports what they are experiencing that is creating stress and frustration as they strive to successfully do their job. This allows the manager to find and direct them to resources that can help resolve and overcome such obstacles.
  • Question areas wherein the report feels the need for greater connection with others on the team and finding a way to help this happen.
  • Asking reports how they feel you as the leader can be more effective in their efforts to achieve intended goals. What does the report need that they aren’t getting that will impact their productivity and sense of calm?

THE UNDERLYING QUALITY THAT CAN MAKE OR BREAK BEING GREAT AT MANAGING

If there is an overriding quality that is helping a manager function in a successful manner in our new world it is the ability to demonstrate and be an empathetic manager. This requires developing elevated levels of trust and care along with having a culture of acceptance. Clearly one size doesn’t fit all, and it becomes much more of an individualized approach that can and will differ from one person to another.

However, the ability to develop and utilize the skills of an empathetic manager is not a given nor it is always an easy transition. It involves learning and developing enhanced sensitivities. This, in turn, imposes a need to devote time to doing so. To an already challenged manager and especially those found in medium or small organizations the task is greater. Yet given its’ importance in our new business environment it is going to require creative thinking and even some significant realignment of responsibilities within the organization, department or team.

Breaking apart the processes of old and reassembling them around the added ‘tool’ of empathy can help to identify the path forward recognizing and accepting the new world of today and tomorrow. And even in the normal we once knew, demonstrating empathy as an accomplished leadership skill can only add to a leader’s and their organization’s success.  Agreed?
Mike Dorman