Do You Trust Your Team?
A weekly roundup of the latest future of work and conscious leadership news and insights
You’ve probably heard the saying, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” And while that may be true for some relationships, it’s not necessarily true for remote teams. As the BBC recently reported, working on a remote team can decrease levels of trust, which is a critical component for all healthy teams to be successful.
So what can a conscious leader do to build trust with their virtual teams?
First, it’s important to understand the importance of assuming goodwill. Talking to someone over Zoom or a phone call might not be the same as sensing their energy in person. But if we assume that our colleagues are well-meaning and truly want us and our organization to succeed, it can alleviate some of the virtual tension.
Too often, leaders who haven’t experienced a virtual environment start to lean on surveillance or micromanaging their team. The problem is this actually leads to worse outcomes. Because anyone who feels they are being monitored starts to “perform” instead of truly engage.
It leads to heightened levels of anxiety, which tank creativity and innovation. If you are clear with your team about outcomes, you can then unleash their individual creativity for achieving those outcomes. But it’s essential to be clear on those desired results from the start.
Second, understand there are different kinds of trust levels. Some people are automatic trusters, while others are evidence-based trusters. If you’re good at hiring talented individuals, you’re probably an automatic truster once they’re on the team. But some team members may want evidence (more communication or information) to build trust.
Third, foster a culture of empathy and support. Nothing builds trust faster than 1) knowing your team is talented, 2) has your back, and 3) genuinely cares for each other. As a conscious leader, consider ways you can demonstrate this through your own actions and feedback. Are you showing empathy? Do you strongly support your team? Do you show how you care for your team?
We still have much to learn about team building for long-term remote work. But there are so many more resources now than we’ve ever had. Working with a coach is a fantastic way to help you and your team recognize areas for growth and build greater trust. It’s an exciting time to be experiencing all the opportunities remote work and team-building will provide for a happier, healthier workforce.
Here is some of the future of work and conscious leadership content I found interesting this week:
Citi Bank’s new CEO is helping her team rest work-life balance by declaring Fridays “Zoom-free” days. “Citi's announcements come in the wake of a Goldman Sachs presentation by junior employees complaining of excessively long work days and bullying by senior colleagues that have damaged mental health.”
It’s time to build compassionate email cultures, according to Harvard Business Review. This concept builds on the conscious leadership concept of thinking holistically about all stakeholders—not just your own Inbox. “To start, individuals must think bigger than protecting their own inboxes, focusing instead on reducing the collective email traffic of the team as a whole.”
Microsoft found that many bosses are clueless about how miserable their teams are. “Leaders are out of touch,” said Microsoft Vice President Jared Spataro. “Sixty-one percent say they are thriving -- that's 23% higher than the average worker, so there is a disconnect there.” As a conscious leader, how are you ensuring your team is actually thriving?
Are you struggling with “Back to Normal Anxiety?” According to Gregory Scott Brown, some people loved letting go of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) over the past year, but are now starting to feel social pressures once again. The article provides some valuable tips conscious leaders and their teams can leverage to adapt to post-pandemic life and work.
Work happy. Live happy. BE happy.
Meredith
The way we work and build teams is rapidly changing. Leaders often feel unprepared to navigate the transition. As a conscious leadership coach, consultant and communicator, Meredith helps leaders and their teams create new ways of working and relating so they can prepare for the future by consciously co-creating it.
Contact her to develop your conscious leadership and transform your organization into the workplace of the future.
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