One of the things many leaders feel we don’t do as well as we could is coach our people. Whether our team is co-located or scattered to the winds, it’s hard to find the time to coach effectively. When we do, it’s almost always focused on improving weak performance. That means we spend most of our limited time coaching the lowest-performers. But what about the rest of them? … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Ruin a Virtual One-On-One
As leaders, we know that one-on-one communication with our team is critical. When we can’t just look out and survey the cubicle-farm to see how people are doing, the little time we get to spend with each employee becomes more precious. That’s why conducting these meetings is perhaps the most important skill a long-distance leader can have. In many ways they are just like … [Read more...]
Performance Reviews in a Post-Pandemic World
Leading a remote team is not easy. One of the most difficult things is knowing what, and how well our people are doing at their jobs. This impacts everything from the daily affirmations and “atta girls” that keep people engaged and motivated to year end performance reviews. The biggest question many managers ask is this: “How can I give feedback on performance when I can’t … [Read more...]
5 Keys to More Effective Remote Coaching Sessions
Of all the jobs a leader has, coaching their team members is at the top of the list, yet one they feel the least comfortable with. This isn’t surprising, since even under “normal” conditions, it’s part of the job we always feel we could do better. Coaching at a distance can seem even more intimidating. It shouldn’t be. As with so much Long-Distance Leadership, if we … [Read more...]
Feedback: When They Just Don’t Get “It”
What do you do when your remote direct reports seem surprised by the feedback they get? They shouldn’t but some people seem to know exactly what and how they’re doing, while others seem oblivious. What’s a leader to do? When I teach our Coaching and Feedback at a Distance sessions, no matter who these folks are or what industry they’re in, the question remains the same: “How … [Read more...]