A client of mine recently started talking to his project managers about getting their “Remote MBWA.” I had never heard of this particular degree, so I asked him what that was. He said it wasn’t some new kind of MBA, rather it means Management By Walking Around. Here’s how he described it to me: "Management By Walking Around" is the term used for the kind of manager who walks … [Read more...]
How’s Your Team’s Six-Week Report Card?
Depending on where in North America you are, you’ve probably been working from home for six weeks now. We know it feels longer than that, but most of us experienced the reality of the COVID-19 crisis sometime between March 12 and 16th. So here’s an important question: How's it going? Six weeks is 42 days. You know what can happen in 42 days? Chipmunks, ferrets, gerbils, … [Read more...]
New Remote Leaders: Have you answered these 5 questions yet?
How's it going for new remote leaders? It's understandable if you're feeling a little out of sorts right now. You're still in the middle of a whirlwind transition to a new way of working...and oh yeah, there's this global pandemic thing going on outside, too. As you've rushed to get your team prepared for working from home for who knows how long, it's possible that you … [Read more...]
Are Remote Workers a Greater Turnover Risk?
No doubt you've heard the old phrase, “people don’t quit jobs, they quit managers.” This is particularly true for people who work at a distance from their coworkers and their manager(s). Why is the risk of remote workers leaving higher than people who come into the office every day? There are a couple of simple reasons. The barriers to changing jobs are much lower. So if … [Read more...]
If You’re Not at Your Desk, Are You Working?
When it comes to working remotely, one of the biggest differences between successful leaders and those who burn out, making themselves (and everyone else) crazy, is how much time they spend worrying about “if people are working.” It’s not that we’re not concerned about how people spend their time, it’s just usually the wrong question. If we break that question down to what … [Read more...]