Virtual Leadership

A bit of a personal note to start. Recently I was hired to do some project work for a colleague I knew from a previous organization. As I am new to independent consulting, this is my first "job" and I am very excited about the opportunity. My client is several states away and I am working more independently than ever. It got me thinking about the virtual work force and how management has to be different.

In today's increasingly virtual world, the remote worker is becoming the norm. The only reason to have people in offices is to appeal to our conventional sense of workplace community. For many people, the face-to-face is the best part of the job. There are plenty of times I wish I could lean over the wall to my buddy and bounce ideas around. My dogs are great listeners, but they aren't too quick with ideas.

Managers need to be taught how to manage a virtual workforce. The foundations of management: motivation, feedback, coaching, direction, setting expectations, follow-up, all still apply to the remote worker. The expectations of how work is accounted for is the difference. Managers need to change the way they look at how work gets done. The remote employee can't be managed by the time clock; instead they have to be managed by the work. There needs to be clear communication between supervisors and employees about how much work needs to be done and can be done. Feedback has to be more frequent and there needs to be trust and open dialogue. Managers need to push the limits and make sure employees are working at high capacity. If the work isn't getting done, then tough conversations need to take place.

Employees also need to be taught how to succeed in this arena. We'd all love to work from home in our pajamas, but that's not the reality. The benefit of being home to take the kids to school and help with the school play has to fit between the work or the trust is broken. Remote employees need to learn the art of self-management and personal accountability. I admit that instead of coffee breaks, I take laundry breaks. I enjoy the freedom of being able to take my kids to school and pick them up. At the same time, I put in very productive work hours between 8 pm and 11 pm when my house is relatively quiet. I also over communicate to my client and ask for feedback often to make sure that I am on track and meeting expectations.

Learning organizations can't continue to just teach management and leadership for the conventional office. Management programs need to address the fundamentals and then explore how they really happen on the shop floor, in the restaurant kitchen, between the cubicles and over the Internet. I propose that well designed management training mirrors the way management should operate. The design should be blended to include online learning, web enabled discussions, face-to-face time and communication by phone and email. Employees also need to be developed to work effectively and be encouraged to challenge themselves to continuously earn the benefit of working remotely.

A more virtual workforce can be a great thing for the environment, for families and for productivity. As usual, high performing organizations get that way by having a strong sense of purpose, solid values and managers that excel at shaping and guiding the organization. Learning professionals would be wise to embrace the trend and help leaders and workers adapt to the new age.