Leading Remote Teams Effectively

Join Ulrike Seminati with her guest, Angela Scott, as they talk about how to lead remote divisions effectively. Angela is a business psychologist and the founder of The Culture Principle. In this episode, she provides ways to communicate and connect from a distance which presents new challenges for leaders unfamiliar with the remote work model brought by the pandemic. Tune in to this episode to learn more!

The Hybrid Model

As a way to adapt to the pandemic, the hybrid model was forced upon many organizations. The hybrid model is a setup where teams are operating at multiple locations. The hybrid model often includes members working at the office and home. Since this setup was obligatory out of urgency to not compromise operations, it raised new challenges for organization leaders as they were not given ample time to adjust. Angela says there are several challenges with the hybrid model, but most of it, if not all, are centered around building trust. While the challenges are not far from those being face-to-face, Angela proclaims it is amplified and made important. For example, in the personal setup, striking a balance between autonomy and goal-setting is the challenge. When applied to the hybrid model, it is even more important in an environment where not everyone is in the same location. The best way to adapt to this setup in the long run, according to Angela, is how a leader communicates. This way, they can collaborate with their team efficiently and effectively.

Personal Vs. Virtual

Conducting meetings in the office is far different than video calls. In a face-to-face setup, people are programmed to take in nonverbal cues. That is not present in virtual meetings since people are only looking at their respective screens. It is confusing for one person to know from their screen whether a team member is angry, bored, or maybe checking their emails while the meeting is in progress. The confusion can eventually lead to communication mistakes. When she talks to leaders, Angela’s advice is to reset their minds with how they will proceed with the meeting if it is face-to-face. She stresses out that having confidence that their message is clear and precise leads to better interactions. 

About Angela Scott:

Most of Angela Scott’s career has been spent in leadership roles guiding teams to inspire customers and prospects towards the right applications software solution to fit their business needs. Angela is currently the regional leader of Customer Experience Solution Advisors at Oracle Corporation within the Applications division in EMEA.

Although Angela had held a number of diverse leadership roles, they’ve always had one thing in common; leading teams that are dispersed. She is passionate about culture being the foundation for any high-performing organization and deeply understand the unique challenges facing leaders in highly dispersed and matrixed organizations, particularly for women in male-dominated industries.

Angela is also the founder of The Culture Principle and a thought leader on culture-building and leadership potential. She aims to help other leaders avoid frustrating failures to build effective and sustainable working environments, coaching on how to place employees and peers in the best possible position to succeed, wherever they are located.

Outline of the Episode:

[01:27] The biggest overall challenges for leaders in a hybrid environment

[03:53] Common mistakes leaders commit in their communication style

[07:07] The meeting room versus little faces on a screen

[10:22] The eye contact problem with video meetings

[13:15] Should the way slides are being used be changed?

[16:18] How leaders can maintain team spirit and create an atmosphere of trust

[19:37] Influences of the hybrid environment to an organization’s politics schemes

[21:16] Risk for companies who do not care about helping leaders communicate in the new normal

[23:55] Must leaders have two communication styles in the hybrid environment?

[25:42] How to improve communication style in the relatively complex context of the hybrid model

Resources:

Avoid common pitfalls and download your guide here:  https://thecultureprinciple.com/charisma

Website: https://thecultureprinciple.com/   

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/angelajscottuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecultureprinc

Connect with Ulrike!

Website: https://ulrikeseminati.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/empowering-female-leaders/ 

Email: [email protected]