{"id":22502,"date":"2020-12-15T10:04:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-15T10:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/remote-work-ways-struggling-managers-reset\/"},"modified":"2023-09-21T16:58:46","modified_gmt":"2023-09-21T16:58:46","slug":"remote-work-ways-struggling-managers-reset","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/future-of-work\/remote-work-ways-struggling-managers-reset\/","title":{"rendered":"Remote Work: 6 Ways Struggling Managers Can Reset"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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You think you have a remote management problem? Perhaps you need a more agile leadership model: These six processes work well whether you're remote or not<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Here\u2019s a dirty little secret about remote work: Managing teams remotely is not much different than managing on-site.<\/p>\n\n

The reason it may seem different is that the negative impact of poor management is more apparent when teams are working remotely. So, when my clients ask me to help them solve their remote management problems, I give them the same advice and guidance I always have \u2013 and it still works.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A practical leadership solution: SLLC<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The following simple model, which I call the Simple Leadership Lifecycle (SLLC), identifies six core leadership processes and corresponding suggestions to improve your management and your team\u2019s results. You can apply it annually, quarterly, monthly, weekly, daily, or even meeting by meeting to ensure you achieve your desired outcomes. This leadership lifecycle is designed to be iterative, much like agile development.<\/p>\n\n

This lifecycle is designed to be iterative, much like agile development. By working through it repeatedly, you will progress in rapid, incremental steps, which minimizes your risks and maximizes your outcomes. Think of it as a leadership scrum model.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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These six simple processes work well regardless of physical proximity and can end your remote management problems for good.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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1. Clarify your strategic intent<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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It\u2019s not enough to be right \u2013 you also need to be helpful.<\/p>\n\n

People will not follow just because you may be right. They will follow your lead if, and only if, they feel it will help them and the organization.<\/p>\n\n

Clarify your strategic intent, even for a one-on-one conversation. Maybe you want to strengthen a relationship or get agreement on an immediate decision, or maybe it\u2019s more important to improve team alignment than to finalize a project delivery date.<\/p>\n\n

Also, clarify what\u2019s most important to you and for you to do. This takes time and analysis every day, sometimes multiple times throughout the day. You may get requests from bosses, peers, subordinates, spouses, kids, friends, clients, and vendors every day \u2013 if you simply throw all those requests into a to-do list, you will be overwhelmed in no time and will constantly struggle to achieve strategic results.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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2. Prioritize<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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It\u2019s not enough to do things right \u2013 you also need to do the right things.<\/p>\n\n

You will be more effective if you manage your focus and energy. There is always too much to do. Choose what\u2019s most important based on your strategic intent.<\/p>\n\n

What are the three most important things you need to achieve or address today? Dedicate quality time to those as early in the day as possible. One approach is to keep a short list of important goals with no more than 20 items on it. Rank the items every day, so you know which are your top three. Then spend 30 to 120 minutes of focused effort to move them forward.<\/p>\n\n

After you\u2019ve invested effort in the most important things, you can spend the rest of your day on other things. But do what matters most first.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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3. Delegate<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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It\u2019s not enough to get stuff done \u2013 you also need to grow your people.<\/p>\n\n

Sure, you can probably do it faster yourself. But teaching others helps them grow and increases your team\u2019s ability to deliver better results.Sure, you can probably do it faster yourself. But teaching others helps them grow and increases your team\u2019s ability to deliver better results.<\/p>\n\n

Before starting any task, ask yourself: Who else can do this? Can you ask a direct report to do it, or can you teach them so they can do it next time? If a direct report isn\u2019t realistic, how about a peer, a colleague in another department, a service provider, or independent contractor? <\/p>\n\n

Of course, just because something could be done by someone else doesn\u2019t mean it should be. Don\u2019t automatically delegate every \u201cto-do\u201d that comes your way. Filter out tasks that will become less and less important to do over time. Something that appears important today may be much less so next week.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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4. Create accountability<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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It\u2019s not enough to delegate work \u2013 you also need to ensure that it gets done.<\/p>\n\n

Too many managers delegate much less than they should because their teams don\u2019t deliver the results they expect. Here are three steps to increase your team\u2019s accountability:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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