As we entered lockdown, it was encouraging to see the wellbeing of colleagues take such importance for leaders. As we moved to remote working at scale and pace, there was a necessary focus on ensuring team members were coping and provided with the support needed to perform their roles effectively. Almost six months on, most businesses should have established working practices and leaders should start to explore, if they haven’t already, how they continue developing their people.
While it is difficult to predict how long the disruption caused by COVID-19 will last, the impact on traditional working patterns will be significant and may have changed them forever. Leaders who grasp this and move from enabling to developing their team members will find they have more inclusive, motivated and higher performing teams. They will also be able to retain their top talent for longer.
Focusing on development will require effort and innovation. When thrown in with everything else 2020 has thrown at us, that may feel like a stretch, but those who do will reap the benefits. Importantly, we do not need to reinvent good leadership; we need to go back to basics and adapt these principles to our new environment.
Dr Jo Yarker and Dr Rachel Lewis of Birkbeck, University of London’s Organisational Psychology faculty believe the priority is to look after yourself first and then act as a role model. It has been an incredibly challenging few months so first, think about what you need to do to be in the best position to support those around you.
You should then look at the development needs of the individuals you manage and consider the direction of the team, making sure these are aligned with your strategic objectives. If you had development plans for your people, now is a good time to revisit them and consider what, if anything, has changed. Make sure you set clear priorities and goals, with the provision of regular feedback.
Isolation is the biggest management challenge presented by remote working, and retaining social connection is crucial. We also need to consider that until now much of our professional learning and development has been through osmosis and observation when physically in the office. This has changed and while it is difficult to replicate this learning method virtually, video meetings are the best, if not only, channel through which we can do this. Look for opportunities to include your team in external and internal meetings that will stretch them. It’s tempting to hold management meetings on your own, but including team members will help them to learn from observing you in action, and it will give them the chance to shine.
As we get further into 2020, it will be important to continue to build trust and avoid micromanaging, as it suggests a lack of confidence in team members. It’s important that the people in your team know they can come to you for guidance and support when needed, but it’s also important for them to be empowered to take on responsibility. By showing trust you will motivate people, encourage teamwork and with time reduce the pressure on you as your team’s capability grows.
Good leadership is an art that had challenges when we physically spent more time together, and adapting your style to remote working will need thought. The time spent will be worth the investment as you will be able to access, develop and retain a far bigger talent pool as geography becomes less important when hiring.
Another big advantage of remote working is that we can reclaim the time spent commuting and use it for learning and development. The Association of Corporate Treasurers qualifications or broader learning through platforms like coursera.org are great resources to consider.
Thinking innovatively could enable you to make the most of the ‘trapped value’ in the talent you have in your organisation. In 2019, Unilever introduced an internal talent marketplace that matches employees to projects across the group to stretch their skills, knowledge and areas of interest. By looking in depth at the talent in your team, across your function or the wider organisation, you can provide broader development opportunities to a larger population. It’s also an efficient way of making the most of the resource already available. Taking this further, you can look at where your high performers’ skills gaps are and help them to develop in these areas by giving them access to work that nurtures their progression.
Much has changed in 2020, but the principles of leadership remain the same and, in crisis, have become more important. Demonstrating good leadership by enabling the development of your people will advance both their careers and your own. It is also a big first step in making the transition from surviving to thriving.
Alex Hyde is a director at recruitment consultancy BIE