Management in itself is a complex subject because it is always about people. Remote management through digital tools presents some additional challenges. Here, FRONT Leadership gives you its best advice on how to overcome these challenges.
We recognize it from fairy tales and from all those slightly annoying success stories we keep hearing; the inner drive. It may seem like so many others just have it in place, but the reality is that most people have to work to maintain it. When the motivation is there in the individual and the team, the challenges that come will be easier to solve. That's why employee motivation and building engagement is a key factor for good teams, and an important focus point in distance management.
Motivation can be created by clarifying the importance of good performance for both the individual and the group. By using a clear vision, it is possible to provide a clear picture of what is to be achieved by the group as a whole, and also what each individual can take with them to develop their own role. If employee motivation is low, it will be difficult to build on anything. If, on the other hand, the inner drive among employees is high, other challenges are much easier to solve.
Once the foundation is in place, there are several specific measures that can be worked on to create a dynamic that contributes to good results. Concretizing the work tasks is one of these. With the help of clear expectations and constructive feedback, the vision will be carried forward and each individual will have a clear picture of their tasks and at the same time feel seen. If seconds are also given during the process, it will help to clarify whether everyone has grasped the essence of the assignment. It's good to clarify whether the tasks are being carried out appropriately or whether adjustments are needed. A lot of this is about individualization. Take the time to get to know each other, and then it is possible to facilitate the use of everyone's strengths.
If employees are activated by means of clear expectations, for example to solve tasks between each meeting or to be assigned responsibility, this will create room for action. Real opportunities to influence ongoing processes will also provide ownership and lead to individuals wanting to actively contribute to the various processes. This is also where variation comes in. Even if something has worked well in the past, it doesn't mean it should stay that way forever. It's important to take into account different learning styles and use different digital tools for collaboration and communication. How the team interacts can perhaps become even better if you dare to think outside the box. It can be as simple as varying between one-to-one problem solving and group problem solving.
The framework changes with remote management
Distance management can be an unfamiliar exercise if you're not used to it. Socialization becomes a bigger challenge than when colleagues can gather around the coffee machine, but is just as important when the people you are managing are spread out. A good collaborative climate is important when working in teams, and all of the above-mentioned measures can help to improve the outcome of how this can be solved remotely. However, it's important to remember that work should be fun. A meeting without an agenda can be a way to bring back some of the social interaction that many people miss in the home office. Even in a busy workday, it's important to remember that good relationships also provide a good basis for well-being and are an important ingredient in good collaboration.
A manager should therefore focus on these points: Motivation, activation, concretization, variation, individualization and socialization. The combination of these creates dynamic and functional teams, and is particularly important when managing at a distance through digital tools. The focus points are intended as measures to create mastery, and mastery in itself is perhaps the most important factor for motivation. The measures are all interrelated and help to reinforce each other's effect. The measures are dynamic in the same way as the people being led, and they must be adapted and changed along the way to create a winning and dynamic digital team.
Below is a list of simple steps to manage employees from a distance.
MOTIVATION
How to create interest in the topic?
- High degree of involvement.
- Create a community and get all the personalities on board with a common direction.
- Clarify what this means for the team at individual and group level.
- Individual mapping to clarify the individual's inner drive.
- How can the participant connect it to their own role.
- Draw a clear picture of your goals and create a vision.
ACTIVATION
How do we get active participation?
- Use good digital tools for collaboration and brainstorming.
- Clear expectations for participation and engagement (e.g. wear a camera).
- Variation in method and tools (remember breaks!).
- Give tasks between each meeting.
- Build ownership and authority.
- Early involvement.
CONCRETE
How does the training relate to the job the employee will be doing?
- Illustrate the connections in the organization and the process.
- Draw a concrete timeline highlighting what is to be achieved.
- Have relevant goals, tasks and deadlines. Clearer expectations and feedback.
- Mapping of new requirements for future competence, behavior and needs through e.g. a GAP analysis.
VARIATION
What tools can we use to vary and engage?
- Use various digital tools such as Miro, Murial, Mentimeter, Kahoot.
- Alternate between 1:1 conversations, group and plenary sessions.
- Stand-up meetings or walk-up meetings on the phone.
- Storytelling/narrative, what is our story? Who is the hero of our story?
- Allow for different learning styles.
INDIVIDUALIZATION
How do we accommodate people with different abilities and different learning approaches?
- Take time at the start to get to know each other and establish the different prerequisites.
- Follow up something 1-1, something else in teams.
- Accountability of each individual.
- Variation in methodology.
- Making the information available in different formats.
- Facilitate different communication styles and allow room to act and use different individual strengths.
SOCIALIZATION
How do we facilitate collaboration, social learning and culture building?
- Vary the partners within the team.
- Build trust through exercises.
- Creative use of different tools.
- Break it up with games such as through a Kahoot.
- Tell success stories.
- Digital home visit.
