Follow along with this thread for some great tips on leading a team remotely, from Alison Hood Consulting in 'Leading a remote team – Tips for business leaders right now’. They focus on three main areas: #Wellbeing, #Communication, & #Technology.

Remember that uncertainty is mitigated by trust & #communication. Now is the time to put an epic effort into #connecting with your team. Be honest & open, compassionate & empathic & more than anything be human.

Your job is to align your team, to build trust, to support their #wellbeing, their engagement & their productivity. However - you are only good for them if you look after yourself. Make sure you personally practice everything you suggest for your team.

As a #leader you need to be anticipating the next stage – beyond initial weeks – be agile & adaptable at each stage, be really aware and live mindfully alongside your team.

#Wellbeing: Establish early your team’s way of working – Encourage & support flexible working hours where people do the best they can.

#Wellbeing: Be the role model – When working from home there is risk that people “overwork”. Set boundaries and expectations. Do not sit at your desk for 8 hours straight, get up & change your environment every hour or so. Regular 5 minute breaks are important.

#Wellbeing: Manage your distractions wisely but cherish them as well! Manage your emails, notifications, & phone alerts so you are not constantly interrupted by them.

#Wellbeing: At the same time, embrace the distractions of working from home! The dog, the children, your partner wanting a wee chat. Your family are as important as work right now so nurture each other.

#Wellbeing: Live mindfully right now – Make sure you see signs of stress & anxiety in others but also in yourself. Tune into how you are feeling. Label it and manage it.

#Wellbeing: Not only ask your team “how are you feeling”” but ask yourself the same question. Think about what is within & outside of your control. Stephen Coveys model of control, influence & concern could be very helpful for you & your team to consider.

#Communication: Use the technology – face to face is always the best option, where possible, audio is next best thing and minimise emails if you can.

#Communication: Provide clarity – Your team need clear vision & direction right now. Even if you don’t know yourself, be honest with what you don’t know as well as what you do know.

#Communication: Regularly connect with your team collectively – Have daily meetings morning & possibly afternoon as well. When virtual, it is vital to have a structure in place for the meeting, otherwise it is a confusing free for all.

#Communication: If the team size is manageable then start with a round robin check in process: “how are you today?” before you move to business items. This encourages people to share & be open & allows you to spot signs of stress.

#Communication: Regularly connect with your team individually – provide the opportunity for each of your team to chat with you regularly. Ask the basic questions: 1) How are you? 2) What do you need from the team? and 3) what do you need from me?

#Communication: Provide positivity with your team & energise but also be real & authentic. Be aware of & manage the diversity in your team: different home situations, interpersonal needs, communication styles, self-management skills, levels of fear, anxiety & concern.

#Communication: EMPATHY is king right now – This is uniquely stressful, you are in your team’s homes, meeting their family & pets, understanding their bubble & work challenges. Ask, listen, walk in their shoes & understand. Let them walk in your shoes too - Be Human.

#Technology: Having some fun – set up a medium & protocol for informal chats & connecting as a team. It’s also a place to post those memes, jokes & photos that keep us sane at the moment! There are some awesome ideas out there for teams, like weekly quizzes & competitions.

#Technology: Celebrating – just as you would if you were in the office, remember to note & celebrate success in the team, a win, an achievement, a birthday.

#Technology: Buddy chats – there will of course already be informal relationships across the team where people connect with each other. However, a more formal ‘buddying’ system can be really useful for the team.

#Technology: Learning – Don’t sit still or be complacent – enable learning & growth for your team – equip them with the skills & confidence to lead the business to where it needs to be. Be creative without discretionary spend.

#Technology: Innovation – out of uncertainty comes innovation, a new way of doing things, an idea never considered before. This might enable the team & the business to make a seismic shift.

Summary: #Leaders need to provide: clear vision & direction, daily clarity, short time frames & milestones, progress tracking & celebration, opportunity to connect with you regularly, work purpose & meaning...

Summary: #Leaders need to provide: structures & healthy routines, regular connection, empathy & compassion, a chance to ask questions of you, team rituals, positive energy, opportunities for innovation & a path to the new normal.

“It is your reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines your life story". #StayHome #StaySafe #StayConnected #LIANZA #RemoteLeadership #LockDown #Development #Leadership #Connection #Communication #Wellbeing #Technology