Now more than ever your team members need to see good leadership from you. It’s very easy to get bogged down with your workload when you are working in isolation and forget that you are still responsible for a team, when you can’t physically be with them. Here are some tips on being a good leader in these tough times: 

 

During these times of uncertainty, it’s vital to keep regular communication with your team. Even if you don’t have any specific updates for them, maintaining communication will prevent people from filling in any gaps for themselves and creating a situation that doesn’t exist. Make sure your team know that you are at the end of the phone if they need you and book regular calls in people’s diaries so everyone can make sure they are available and ensure calls don’t keep getting pushed back.  

 

While team calls are a great way of getting messages out to everyone and maintaining a sense of team, it’s also important to have one to one communication with your team members. Diarise regular calls to check on workload, progress, obstacles to success and the general mental wellbeing of your team.  

 

Lead with positivity 

 

These are obviously very difficult and frightening times we are experiencing, and your team will be looking to you for guidance and reassurance. Your role now is to convey calm and a sense of perspective. Hearsay will be rife and it is easy to get drawn into negative conversations so try to draw on the positives of every situation and don’t let a ‘glass half empty’ team member effect the outlook of the whole team.  

 

Celebrate success 

 

People need to know when they have done something well at all times but it is even more important now. A simple thank you can do wonders for a team member’s motivation and self-esteem so be sure to shout about all successes. 

 

Set clear goals 

 

Make sure your team know what work output you are expecting from them. Setting clear goals and objectives is still vital during this time so employees have goals to focus their attention on. If you don’t normally allow homeworking then it is understandable that you may be concerned about how much work is actually being done but trust in your team, you hired them for good reason and, with good leadership, they won’t let you down. 

 

Keep expectations realistic 

 

You may or may not have children running around at home yourself, but you need to be mindful of your team members that do. Parents are currently expected to continue working whilst educating and generally taking care of their children at home and it isn’t easy to balance all this. Show empathy to your team who are struggling in this situation and be flexible around their working hours. Work can still be completed in the evenings once the little darlings are tucked up in bed and calls may occasionally be interrupted so a banana can be peeled!   

 

 

Things are changing on a regular basis and these may or may not affect your business. Be as honest as you can be with your employees about what is going on without causing unnecessary panic. They will appreciate being kept in the loop and won’t lose any confidence in you as a leader.