Management From a Distance

As we all look to close out the end of a most tumultuous year, there are countless lessons that companies, leadership teams and individuals have learned while navigating the treacherous waters of 2020. Shifts in workplace environments, additions within organizational culture, enhanced emotional and professional stress levels, and overall world perceptions have been severely challenged.

Professional firms across the country have had to shape-shift their approach to interactions amongst one another and how it is they can best serve their clientele given regulations and best practices set forth by the CDC in response to COVID. A rudimentary challenge is that many firms were not successfully managing their firms pre-COVID let alone equipped to handle remote management that can present more challenges than a traditional, in-person, business model. Throughout my tenure as a “C Suite” professional as well as an anthropological/psychological researcher there are four major pillars where these challenges are highlighted the most:

1. Understanding individual and team psychology and their respective intersections.
2. Appropriately interpreting emotional responses and written tonation/word choice.
3. How to appropriately establish clear timelines and target objectives while balancing team accountability.
4. How to successfully combine the above three pillars and be an effective leader (influencer).

The unique thing about pillar number one is how many professionals believe they have an idea of how to interpret others’ behaviors when they do not know how to objectively evaluate their own. A key in successfully understanding those around you is to first master and understand yourself. Most of you reading this will more than likely assume that you “know yourself” and you may be right; you know the version of you that is agreeable and amenable to the world view you choose to carry based off of established models that are embedded within your neurocircuitry and create your “normal”.

If we peel the layers back and dig deeper than simply “knowing yourself” you will discover the several pitfalls and nearsightedness so many of our perspectives carry due to unexplored facets of our personality. This is no easy task but is a crucial step in successfully understanding the members of your team, their behavioral variations and how they intersect with others as well as yourself.   

Interpretation of employee responses (expressed in written or physical form) is directly tied to pillar number one. Remote management relies heavily on your understanding of the emotional continuum within each member of your staff. What their “hot buttons” are and why, what their “happy buttons” are and why, as well as understanding their view and what their intentions are within every professional relationship provided to them via your organization. Interpreting and appropriately balancing their responses while being mindful to subtle queues and innuendos they provide is key.

A large challenge found within most management platforms is that they revolve around saving time, being more “efficient” and getting the job done as soon as possible. This makes sense from a revenue perspective but completely contradicts what it takes to successfully connect, grow and manage a team that will stand the test of time with you and your organization. This is where balance comes into play as well as a constant evaluation of yourself and how your actions/reactions are embodied by those who follow your lead.

Timelines and target objectives are what make a business tick and are even more vital within a remote work setting. Keeping the ball moving that is business development as well as executing internal processes requires vision, goals, follow through, and quality assurance. How you approach these four elements within this third pillar is paramount as you need to know how much is too much and can create an overwhelmed team, how much is too little and can sever team motivation, and at what point does accountability turn into micro-management.

This all starts with having transparent and clear conversations with your team members about what established expectations are and why. You have to make sure your expectations are realistic and agreeable to your staff members. Far too many of us carry the same expectation of our staff members that we have of ourselves and that simply is not how successful management/leadership works. Expect the personal best that each team member can execute within themselves while influencing them through the example you set and allow them to connect appropriate dots to achieve their interpretation of your level of execution.

This is organic and as such sustainable; when personal accountability for one’s performance comes from within it ties itself to satisfaction as well as self-worth; that is exactly what you want each of your team members to embody.

Combining these three pillars to successfully navigate the remote work environment is tough; hence the many challenges firms and companies alike have experienced within these tumultuous times. There are many firms that have personnel who are thriving and experiencing enhanced commitment to their company’s mission and vision.

Like the great Army General Creighton Abrams told each of us, “when eating an elephant, take one bite at a time.” Alike, the great Lao-Tzu says, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” The best way to start becoming better at management within a remote work environment is to wholeheartedly take the first step in getting to know yourself and master yourself (your biases, ego, predispositions, conditioned reactions, etc.) so you can objectively lead your team members and establish a true bond with them. This will nurture into your ability to decipher their emotions, help them achieve fulfillment/success, and structure the appropriate timelines/objectives to simultaneously build them, build you, and lead your firm to the pinnacles of success.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.