In a recent paper MIT referred to this period as the greatest migration in employment history; from the workplace to the home. The world we inherit will have shifted, and we will need to do some shifting too.
This is Part One of a series on leadership during extraordinary times. We are sensing two phases: learning to function and learning to evolve. Jonathan Sacks described two types of leader; one that gets us through, and one that rebuilds.
In 2007 the Harvard Business Review wrote about the human moment — when we empathise, reach out and connect. As coaches we create positive human moments that give others a safe space to think out loud.
Spontaneous interactions in corridors and by the coffee machine act as human polyfilla. In the remote workplace those spaces have altered. Redesign can be small. Start meetings with a check-in: how are you feeling, and what success do you want to share? Months later the relational health of the team can be transformed.
Good leaders know their people. Once you know your staff, it is a simple matter of reaching out so everyone feels valued, cared for and listened to.