Fulfilled Leadership in a Hybrid Workplace
As businesses start recalling remote workers to return to on-premise, workers are reassessing their priorities.
The Prudential’s Pulse American Worker Survey cited that 42% of current remote workers say if their current company does not continue to offer remote work options long term, they will look for a job at a company that does.
It is no surprise that:
- One in three American workers would not want to work for an employer that required them to be onsite full time.
- 87% of remote workers during the pandemic would prefer to continue working remotely at least once a week post-pandemic, and 13% would like to continue working full-time onsite.
- Among all workers, 68% say a hybrid workplace model is ideal.
Nurdan Tokoz
Human Performance and Behavior Change Expert Nurdan Tokoz vividly remembers what lit her passion for helping leaders through the effects of the pandemic.
“When the pandemic happened, there was a time when everything froze. At that time, there was one thing in my head, “How can I help?”
From the conversations I was having with the leaders and my clients, I saw the confusion and question marks. I saw the fear; this was not something anybody had experienced before. At that point, those conversations helped me to understand the real pain points and what they needed.”
In today’s post, Tokoz suggests that leaders can focus on two specific (and intertwined) areas of their leadership capacity:
1. Internal side of leadership: “Self-mastery”
In the current era of mistrust, fake news, and political agendas, the only thing leaders can control is themselves and their behaviour. “Self-mastery is mastering your thinking, mastering your feelings, and mastering your behaviours,” says Tokoz.
“It is understanding, figuring out what is the best way, what is the best state you can keep yourself as a leader.
- Where are your thoughts coming from?
- What kind of feelings are they creating?
- What kind of behaviours are you bringing out?”
Self-mastery requires unabashed humility and the ability to look inward authentically.
2. External side of leadership: “Heart-centered connection”
Theodore Roosevelt said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Leaders have to be brave enough to lead with love and kindness first.
Heart-centred connection means showing people you care about them. Being a heart-centred leader means giving of yourself and becoming the mentor and coach to those you lead. I once heard the adage, “A boss does whatever he can to look good. A leader does whatever he can to make his team look good.”
Tokoz suggests these ten steps, leaders can implement, to drive their internal and external leadership capacities:
1. Accept and understand the change that is happening.
Recognizing and accepting changes, adapting and adopting new methods can become a barrier, especially if leaders have their heads down, working IN their business. As a result, the question we need to ask ourselves is, “How can we adapt to that change in our best terms?”
Only when we embrace change can we adjust and tap into the opportunities ahead of us. (Check out Adapt and Adopt)
Moreover, effective leaders engage their teams to embrace change. As a result, they use change as a way to test their objectives, vision and mission. They tap into the team’s zone of genius to come up with new ways of doing things.
2. Use empathy as a critical skill.
“When people come back to the office (post-Covid), I think the one critical skill is being able to show empathy. They will be coming with so many worries, leaving the kids at home again and just building that social relationship again and figuring out what the unknown is. Each person has their own story and own struggles,” says Tokoz.
As behavioural scientists have proven, the best way to empathize effectively is to know the person or situation well. In a past blog post, I suggested we rid ourselves of the demeaning industrial age performance review and opt for regular one-on-ones with each team member.
As an example, Tokoz suggests asking more profound questions and listening with curiosity (not judgement) as being a critical skill.
Trust is foundational to building heart-centred connections. When we give our undivided attention, ask deep questions, and, as Stephen Covey wrote, “Seek first to understand,” people will sense our sincerity.
3. Reinforce the Culture
Work culture is rooted in the values leaders reflect and bring to the forefront. Those cultures rooted in shared values, goals, attitudes and practices faired much better during the lockdowns.
However, since we are in the midst of the Great Resignation, it is clear that this idea has been more the exception than the rule.
Fulfilled leaders need to reevaluate the values and beliefs driving their teams and recognize those that may be impeding a positive work culture and job satisfaction.
4. Restore social connections
When people began working from home, social connections were affected. “Social connections became weaker,” observed Tokoz. “It is that connection between the team members and the leader that affects any communication or the lack of it.”
“Our survey shows that American workers want the benefit of remote work but still see value in coming together in-person at least some of the time,” says Rob Falzon, Prudential vice-chair.
Returning to the office environment physically can restore and strengthen those social connections.
In a hybrid work setup, organizations have designated days of the week when all employees should meet up in the office or outside for company meetings in informal huddle spaces for collaborations and other social purposes.
5. Communicate promptly, frequently and clearly
As I mentioned in my 2020 podcast, Help Your Employees Feel Better Returning to Work, workers returning to work have a heightened feeling of angst and uncertainty as they return to the workplace. Leaders play a pivotal role in alleviating those uncertainties.
Setting and communicating expectations is essential. Providing answers to the unspoken turmoil staff may be feeling and providing a safe space to voice those concerns will be paramount in restoring a sense of comfort.
A 2015 Mckinsey study outlines that 70% of change initiatives fail due to employee resistance and lack of management support.
When staff start adapting to new initiatives and developing new processes and behaviours, two-way feedback is critical.
Tokoz suggests that team meetings are the perfect place to create a safe space to discuss challenges.
Getting clarity on the direction and obstacles of initiatives will better prepare the team for the work ahead.
Check out my full interview with Nurdan Tokoz
6. Cater to the needs of the individual
As we bring employees back, it is essential to understand what makes each team member productive and effective.
Being sensitive and flexible to each employee’s situation and needs will help leaders strategize what works best for the company, the team, and the individual.
7. Be authentic
Leaders need to be informed. But there is never any expectation that they are infallible.
“If we do not have answers at that point for our teams, that is fine,” says Tokoz.
Team members will connect with leaders who show humility, sincerity and authenticity.
8. Include your people
Change is never easy. But as a leader, you are not on an island. In these unprecedented times, tap into the brilliance you have surrounded yourself with.
Every one of your people has experiences that differ from yours. Bringing all those minds together and giving each a voice can give birth to unique and productive solutions.
9. Establish a support system for yourself
I suggest we take a lesson from the airlines’ pre-flight safety demonstrations. If the cabin loses pressure, a mask will come down from the ceiling. You must put on your mask before helping someone else with theirs. Meaning, you have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others.
Ensure you have a coach, a mentor and a professional support group. CEO groups like TEC Canada (Vistage) can open the world to you. Check out…
10. Ensure out-of-sight does not mean out-of-mind
In many discussions I have had with leaders over the last few weeks, inclusivity for remote workers has become a genuine concern.
Many agree that onsite employees have a definite advantage by being physically present and visible in a hybrid work
environment. Constructive, creative collisions, where people meet at the coffee stations, in the lunchroom and hallways, provides a definite benefit for collaboration, peer-counselling and other incidental opportunities.
Leaders need to establish practical means of giving equal opportunities to remote and onsite employees, perhaps in online collision calls. Having a set time during the day for all team members to connect virtually in a team town hall might alleviate some of the advantages.
Tokoz recommends that when holding hybrid meetings (some in the board room, some connected virtually), preference for input should go to the online attendees since the in-person attendees can easily dominate the conversation.
In conclusion, I think it is important to point out that as work environments change, leaders have to contend with a lot of fear: their fear, their team’s fear, and their stakeholders’ fear.
It is incumbent on the leader to absorb those fears and not be the source of stress.
About Nurdan Tokoz
Nurdan Tokoz is a human performance and behaviour change expert with degrees in Industrial Engineering and Adult Education.
Nurdan develops programs to solve human performance issues within organizations by identifying and evaluating the root cause. She helps leaders and teams build new habits/behaviours to achieve desired performance outcomes and impact business results.
She uses Human Performance Improvement (HPI) methodology (certified by Association for Talent Development), adult education and instructional design principles, innovative tools, and technology. She develops effective performance solutions and shows the impact of those solutions on business results.
Nurdan is a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS). Nurdan speaks about human performance improvement on different platforms virtually and in person. As she speaks, her expertise enlightens leaders and gets them excited about the new angle on improving human performance.
Nurdan is also a Certified Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) Developer and Facilitator.
About the Author
Marc Haine is a Service Expert and a Master of Experience. He is a sought-after speaker and trainer working with businesses that need to attract and engage their best customers. Driven by his passion for creating experiences that rock, Marc has worked with retail, casinos, hotels, associations and municipalities to help them design jaw-dropping experiences that get them noticed.
Marc knows what it takes for businesses to exceed experience expectations–The first step, each day, as you open your doors to the public, have you and your staff yell, “IT’S SHOWTIME!”
Marc is one of the world’s foremost authorities on customer journey experience touchpoints and is the author of LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION! Business Operational Excellence through the Lens of Live Theatre. (Check out the new way of looking at your business HERE).
Marc is offering a free 30-minute brainstorming session with you and your team. Click Here to book a time that works for you on his online calendar.
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