How to Bring Some Energy into your Virtual Leadership World

Our Virtual World

We have been ‘locked away’ in our home offices for some time now.  And Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Skype have become common practice for everyone.  So common and comfortable that I have seen…

1. Pyjamas
2. Pets
3. Children (including teenagers walking across the camera in underwear on their way to the shower)
4. Bad hair
5. Crazy virtual backgrounds (including a photo that was probably reserved for private viewing 🙂
6. Breakfast, lunch and dinner
7. Happy Hours
8. The FedEx guy
9. And… apathy

What’s Missing

What has been missing for us, that we normally have, is connection and a sense of belonging to something that is bigger than ourselves.  We would normally get that by being together face-to-face with each other, reading body language (68% of communication is received through body language), water cooler talk in the company kitchen, talking about the weekend and what is going on in each other’s lives.

Instead, we’re finding ourselves in back-to-back-to-back meetings with little or no down time to decompress.  Virtual meetings – even though people have become very comfortable with them – lack energy and direction.

Our Job

As leaders, we have no idea how long this ‘new-normal’ will continue, yet our core job description has not changed.  We are leaders that get things done through and with other people; and, hopefully the people are volunteers not hostages.

How then do we get the best from a team that is engaged, purposeful, inspired and client-focused (I call this EPIC)?  Here is my list for you ‘Virtual’ leaders out there…

1. Start your meetings on-time.
2. Have an agenda with a clear objective for the meeting.
3. Bring your ‘A-Game’.  Just because you’re tired of Zoom calls, remember everyone else is too.  Be excited and energized and don’t forget to tell your face.
4. Stand-Up.  Sitting tends to suck energy.  It also tends to allow meetings to drag on.
5. Keep it short.  30 minutes.  Any longer than that and people lose energy.
6. Have action-outcomes with clear owners that have agreed to take the task on.
7. Follow-up.  When you follow-up on action items, strangely, things get done.
8. Don’t forget the fun.  Get creative and do something that brings in some fun to the call.  Virtual meals.  Juggling challenges, etc.

Robert Murray is a Vancouver, BC based Business Strategy Consultant, #1 Best Selling Author, International Keynote Speaker, and TEC Top Speaker of the Year for 2018. For further advice, insight and inspiration on how to unlock your inner leader, follow Robert on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

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