The Queen of Hearts: The Confessions of An ‘Accidental’ Leader

I didn’t purpose to be in the space that I find myself in.  God plucked me from the path that I had set out for myself & set me on an alternative journey. At the start it all appeared somewhat ‘accidental’ but I know now that it was no accident, rather His design, His purpose for my life… 

So now that I am here, these are my confessions…the lessons I am learning about being a woman in business, building an empire, one brick at a time… 

“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” 
–

Stephen Covey

Businesses have been forced plunge into the digital revolution – ready or not, in order to survive. This has presented multiple challenges for managers who have never led remote teams. Likewise, employees are struggling to adapt as they try to balance working remotely, caring for their children while keeping emotions under control due to the uncertainty of the future. In a time when nobody knows what the future holds and how long this crisis will last, it’s important that managers take this time to help their remote team settle into this new normal and keep engagement high 

Different people are motivated by different factors, research by Pink and others shows managers need to pay more attention to three key categories;  

• Meaning – Purpose is about why the work matters. 
• Mastery – Skills is about doing work that you’re good at 
• Growing – Autonomy means you have ownership over your work. 

Employees perform optimally when leaders inspire and engage them by providing meaning, freedom to innovate and by building trust. 

So how do we do all three – remotely, during this season of stress? 

#1: Be Real

There has never been a more important time for leaders to develop greater EQ.  You cannot give what you don’t have! Emotions are an integral part of who we are – and they work automatically & they affect body and mind.  Thoughts, feelings & actions are tightly intertwined.   

Emotions are chemicals that exist even if we try & pretend that they are not there. They signal the body for opportunity & threat. Ignoring or suppressing how you feel is harmful. Emotion is insight, what is it trying to tell you?

Now that you have a handle on your emotions – help your team to do the same.

Be real. Be authentic. Your people need to be informed & updated, seen & heard as well as encouraged to stay focused.

#2: Over-Communicate

You may be under the impression that there is too much focus on communication in remote teams. That may be the case, but there is good reason for it. According to research, more than 2/3 of communication is non-verbal. This includes body language, facial expressions and all other tiny details that you miss when working remotely.

• Utilise technology & have specific channels of communication.  There are several ways that you can stay in touch, use what is most appropriate for your team  
• Celebrate success – When you’re working alone from a home office, you might feel a little disconnected from your co-workers. Or you might even feel like your work goes unacknowledged. This feeling of isolation is preventable if the whole team makes an effort to recognize each other’s accomplishments and point out good work getting done, both at the individual and group level 
• Watch your tone – One of the biggest pitfalls of written communication is its susceptibility to being misinterpreted or misunderstood. That’s why it’s worth going the extra mile to review each message before sending it off, maybe writing a little more than you might be inclined to — overcommunicating — just to make sure your meaning is as clear as possible.

#3: Set clear GOALS.

One of the many reasons why traditional businesses are scared of going remote is because they’re afraid of losing control. If people are not in the office, how will you know if any work is being done?  

Focus on the deliverable.  Set clear goals 

Maximizing productivity cannot be your main focus, especially as many of your team are juggling work and caretaking responsibilities. Focus on empowering them to manage their own time, capitalize on their own peak periods of focus. 

#4: Have FUN together

Work is more than just work. Besides taking care of your tasks and obligations, employees also bond, spend great times together, laugh and cry and share moments of their lives. This isn’t all lost in remote work, but it’s significantly more difficult to keep these moments alive. However, it’s not impossible. 

Your remote team needs to have ways to bond about things unrelated to work. Set up a virtual watercooler 

If you would like support on your own employee engagement, send me an email.

In the meantime, stay safe. 

The Queen Of Hearts
Mucha Mlingo
| Six Seconds EQ Practitioner | Master Trainer & Facilitator |
| Award Winning International Keynote Speaker |