In my last post, I advocated not letting a virus decide whether we need an office or not, especially if all we need to do our work is a laptop and an internet connection. I also urged us 21st century leaders to ask ourselves why we do things the way we do instead of insisting on going back to how it was. I recommended we learn the remote first mindset and transition our organisation to remote work.
So, how does a company transition to fully remote work while staying nimble and responsive to changing markets? First, remote work is not working from home. It is working from anywhere other than the company office. It requires a complete shift in mindset and corporate culture, and a completely new set of infrastructure and business operations practices. I’ve written many posts on those topics already. Remote work is not easy. It is very difficult to get it right. You’ll need expert advice and support. There are not too many people qualified to help you. I can. Or I can give you some recommendations as well. So, go get help, listen and learn. That way, you’ll create a successful remote work transformation and keep your best employees engaged.
I need to caution you that remote work exposes what and who we are. If we excel in office politics to get ahead, remote work strips us of that. However, if we want to contribute in any way possible, then remote work is a great equaliser. To say it bluntly, incompetent leaders fear remote work because it exposes their incompetence. I wrote an article earlier exploring why managers and executives don’t seem to like the idea of remote work. Smart leaders learn remote work, adapt their leadership, and empower their employees to do so.
So, which type of leader are you? Which type of leader is leading the company you work in?
Recently, a return-to-office advocate told me he had spoken at a conference about Future-of-Work because he had so clearly missed the mark by a few hundred miles. That is great. It all starts with ONE leader admitting that s/he has been wrong about believing the need for face-to-face collaboration. And that’s where a beautiful state of being for an entire company will begin. Are you that leader? Are you the one who needs to get real with himself/herself? If so, I can help you. Contact me.