Have you ever stopped to weigh the differences between physical and remote supervision?
Remote work is on the rise, and the need for impactful leaders in the digital workspace has never been more prevalent. While most remote workers have grown accustomed to autonomous work that lacks real-time feedback, staying true to traditional leadership qualities in a digital capacity is crucial to long-term productivity and success.
When people-leaders bring those classic traits into the digital realm, they’re crafting a bridge between old and new school leadership. By embracing this evolution, remote leaders are in position to forge connections that transcend the boundaries of traditional supervision.
Let’s take a moment to review some traditional leadership qualities that must remain timeless.
Emotional Intelligence
In the pursuit of impactful leadership, knowing when to switch on emotional intelligence will get you far.Exerting emotional intelligence allows every leader to care personally while they challenge directly. Renowned author and advisor Kim Scott details how to embrace this conceptual strategy in her book “Radical Candor.”
“Make sure that you are seeing each person on your team with fresh eyes every day. People evolve, and so your relationships must evolve with them. Care personally; don’t put people in boxes and leave them there.”
As a leader in a digital environment, it is easy to lose your influence. It serves you well to locate the delicate balance of empathy and drive that encourages extraordinary progress.
To care personally is to forge connections beyond the surface, to understand not just the roles but the souls on your team.
However, it is equally important to pair this empathy with the boldness to challenge your direct reports directly.
Empower them with tasks, encourage them to push boundaries, and demand excellence. In a digital workspace, lacking emotional intelligence can negatively affect the mindset of those you support and how they decide to show up daily.
Be Vision-Oriented
In a leadership role, envisioning the future isn’t just about seeing what lies ahead, it’s more so about charting the course for your team, company, or organization.Being vision-oriented can be considered a compass that guides the right decisions in the moment and inspires team members to align with your plan on a unified journey. When you have a clear vision, you provide the blueprint and direction.
In a remote workspace, creativity is almost necessary to head any group. A fire-starter that ignites passion, fosters innovation, and cultivates a sense of belonging brings intangibles to the table that any forward-thinking employer would covet.
By staying true to their passion and resolve, a leader will be able to promote open dialogue, problem-solving, and mutual support, even in the absence of face-to-face interaction. Being able to win your team’s buy-in over a Zoom call, void of body language to aid your speaking points, is a gift that shouldn’t be taken for granted.
A vision-oriented leader not only dreams big but empowers others to dream alongside them.
Resilience
Resilience isn’t just a quality, it’s a superpower that propels you through difficulties as you emerge stronger than before.In today’s ever-changing workforce, the ability to bounce back from setbacks is essential. The COVID-19 lockdowns threw a wrench in the normality of most workspaces. Companies were forced to pivot to remain profitable, as were the leaders they entrusted to rally others. This type of adaptation would not be possible without the ability to remain poised in the face of adversity and in the midst of uncertainty.
Exuding Gratitude
As a leader, showing gratitude is undoubtedly a game-changer.Ensuring your team consistently feels seen, heard, and valued seems like a no brainer to most. However, going the extra mile to make sure it consistently happens takes a certain level of commitment few boast.
Being intentional and directed with your praise is the key. Simply acknowledging a job well done can be great, when done the right way.
“Thank you for everything” sounds good, but it likely doesn’t generate the impact you’d think it might, especially from a boss you’ve never met in person.
It’s more effective when it sounds like “Thank you for going above on beyond to make sure this project was done weeks in advance. I really appreciate your buy-in. I promise it doesn’t go unnoticed.”
The difference between the two is what separates a common leader from an exceptional one.
It isn’t just about making people feel good; displaying calculated gratitude is a core tool to gain long-lasting trust and commitment from those under your supervision.
And here’s the kicker: When you practice gratitude, you keep yourself grounded and mindful of all the moving parts that makes your team tick. It’s a humbling reminder that success is truly a team effort, and all contributions matter. Gratitude is the underrated “secret stuff” that fuels and energizes like no other.
