Remote working has taken many people by surprise. Those who knew how to manage their emotions in face-to-face relationships are not always capable of managing themselves in the era of digital contact. What skills are needed?
Remote work does not eliminate emotions with regards to in-person relationships, which are not always able to be handled in the era of digital contact. It not eliminate emotions. On the contrary, in these times of isolation, fear and uncertainty, managing emotions properly and being aware of people’s moods is the only way to keep teams motivated and continue to increase their productivity.
It is necessary to convey what we want to communicate with assertiveness, clarity and kindness, avoiding misunderstandings to make possible a fluid and effective communication, but also to bet on the formation of a new type of leaders.
Remote work should not mean leaving apart our more human side. Einstein said that “it is in the crisis where inventiveness, discoveries and great strategies are born.” Let’s take advantage of this situation to be closer, even though we cannot be together.
What should our leaders be capable of?
Empowering the team
Every leader should be a coach who provides emotional support to each member of the team. In this way, a climate is created in which psychological safety allows people to feel motivated and able to take risks. This because they know that they will not be punished or ridiculed if they make mistakes, that they can show their vulnerability, ask questions, be valued and taken into account.
Encourage collaboration instead of competition
Establish a culture of collaboration where everyone so they feel supported and recognized in their individual and collective successes. To do this, they need to train their empathy to maintain cohesion, guide corporate actions and improve performance.
Ask and listen actively
People want to be heard; even more so when they work remotely. Leaders must know how to keep quiet to listen to opinions and comments, without interrupting, only asking questions that facilitate an open and honest answer. This virtual communication must be massive and also private, one by one, so that it includes personal and work issues. It is convenient to enable a virtual space in case someone feels uncomfortable expressing openly what they feel.
Practice emotional reading
We write more than ever, but emails and WhatsApps can be emotionally misleading. We must review the texts to avoid expressing ourselves in a confusing way. What does the other person feel when reading it? Can you interpret an imperative or threatening tone where there was only a need for information? For example, writing “I’ll call you on Monday” is not the same as “I like what you propose. I’ll call you on Monday and we’ll talk about how we can get it up and running. ” It is necessary to avoid anxiety or worry in our interlocutors.
