Such a tool for developing managers as a meeting or a meeting makes it effective to discuss topical problems through dialogue. When the interlocutors – the leader and the subordinate – hear each other, actively participate in the conversation, and try to find a solution jointly, the meeting brings maximum benefit.
Create a plan together
The remote work mode leaves a significant imprint on the manager’s communication with the team: the manager loses the opportunity to informally discuss current affairs with employees or talk about abstract topics; does not see subordinates during the working day and, accordingly, cannot observe a bad mood or depression in their behavior. For this reason, the manager cannot respond properly to the conduct of subordinates caused by any events.
In such conditions, one should not single-handedly come up with topics for meetings since there is a great chance of raising irrelevant employee issues. The way out is to involve subordinates in setting the agenda. On the eve of the scheduled meeting, invite employees to list important topics, worries at work, etc., in a letter.
Suggest an unusual setting for the meeting
A day can be a series of video calls for a remote worker. A one-to-one meeting with a leader risk becoming “another one” that needs to be experienced. Tiredness from endless conferences on the Internet will result in monosyllabic answers and automatic “nods” to the manager’s words instead of a full-fledged thoughtful conversation.
The situation can be corrected by removing the “stigma” of officialdom. For example, invite an employee to pour coffee and talk about current affairs from the kitchen or go for a walk during a telephone conversation. The change of scenery and the “atmosphere” of the break will allow the subordinate to relax and to perceive the conversation with the manager not as part of the work but as a rest.
Fill the Information Vacuum
The remote work mode can create a sense of isolation from the team and the company. To “return” a subordinate, say the following points during a conversation: The unit’s success and the organization as a whole—the relationship between an employee’s individual goals and the overall team or company.
Don’t just give; get feedback
To raise the value of employees in their eyes, ask their opinions on important issues – about the tasks set, the relevance and achievability of the goals of the department and the company, the convenience of the communication method, and so on. Thus, subordinates working remotely will have the opportunity to feel their involvement in what is happening in the organization, and the manager will get valuable information about the strategy and processes.
Pay more attention to the development of managers
Remote work is often associated by managers with difficulties in professional and career growth – there is no opportunity “at the cooler” to ask a colleague about how best to complete a task or to hear an opinion about an idea in the hallway; it is more difficult at first glance to “stand out” as a specialist, sitting alone at home at the computer.