Commercial Integrator March 2023 - 50

Leadership
Leadership Evolved
for the Hybrid Workplace
Being an effective leader isn't about walking around a physical office;
rather, it's about communication, connection, community and courage.
By Amelia Vrabel
WE ARE NOW at three years since the world flipped upside
down. For many of us, " the norm " used to be being in the office
five days a week. Meetings were planned so that everyone
could sit in a room together, ideas could be shared around the
coffeepot or lunch table, and people could count on being able
to stop by the cubicle or office of a colleague to solve a problem.
In many cases, leaders within an organization were " present, "
meaning that they were there, in person, visible to the team.
This all drastically changed when remote work took hold in
2020, and it continues to evolve because the workplace is neither
entirely in person nor entirely remote. Instead, many organizations
are transitioning to a hybrid workplace. The benefits
of hybrid are vast: It reduces commutes, allows flexibility and
enables many to live in areas they only dreamed of, whereas,
in the past, they might not have had such opportunities. The
hybrid model might also include opportunities for those who
like to work in an office to do so, or for the office to be available
to the organization as a place to come together for a purpose.
Most of us have learned about the tools and technologies
that foster collaboration and empower folks to work from
anywhere, at any time. However, far too few managers have
learned the skills required to manage remote teams. It is more
critical than ever for managers to learn, practice and master
the leadership skills required to enable their teams to do their
best work - whether those team members are in the same
room five days a week, on opposite sides of the globe or perhaps
somewhere in between, depending on the day.
In a hybrid workplace, the idea of managers being " present "
must evolve to take on the full meaning of the term, which
includes " being actively engaged in what is going on right now. "
Although great leaders have many characteristics, I here propose
four key factors for effectively leading hybrid workplaces.
Communication
All too often, communication either makes a situation (effective)
or breaks a situation (ineffective). It can certainly be more
challenging to communicate in a hybrid workplace, where
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Commercial Integrator MARCH 2023
people must collaborate from different places and in different
time zones. However, those challenges notwithstanding, communication
is even more critical than it used to be.
Fortunately, there are now more tools to communicate
than there ever were. That isn't always a good thing, however.
We've all heard the phrase " another meeting that could have
been an email. " But what about an email that could have
been a chat? Or an email that should have been a meeting?
Or a meeting that could have been a document share?
It's important that managers use the best tool in each
circumstance to get the message(s) across. In a hybrid working
environment, each communication is different, and each
person is different. Effective communication must be a twoway
street; it includes both a sender and a receiver. Sending a
message is only one part; ensuring the message is received on
the other side is also critical. It's the manager's responsibility to
ensure each individual is effectively receiving the message(s).
Connection
Many of us grew up in a time when physical proximity was
critical to building a connection. These days, however, that is
no longer a requirement. People feel connected to others when
they feel that others truly care about them. Good leaders must
make themselves available to support team members. In a
remote setting, that could be over chat, phone or video. That
" green light " on your favorite collaboration platform is a green
light to tell folks they can come to you. That might mean walking
by your office door, or sending a quick chat message.
What's more important, however, is not to wait for others to
come to you. Check in with your colleagues frequently. It's a
simple way to show you care. It's like " Management by Walking
Around, " just without the " walking around " part.
Community
A true leader fosters a sense of community within their group
or their team. When everyone is encouraged to collaborate
and work together, the whole team becomes inspired to lift
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Commercial Integrator March 2023

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