Empathy the essential skill
Working from home means we need to adapt. It can be great but it also has its challenges. We need new skill sets that we may not have needed before. The pandemic has meant we need to do and lead our teams differently. Learning how to use empathy is the essential skill required in remote work.
The big change is we need more emotional intelligence. The most important skill is improving our empathy.
Empathetic Small Talk
We need to develop our small talk… and make it count. Pay attention to the individual and let them know it’s all about them. Ask them a personal question, relate the question to something that matters to them. Include family, friends, and pets.
Be visible
Turn on your camera and show up as a real person it allows you to be in a vulnerable space for each other. Embrace it. We get it is awkward but this is the new world so we need to find ways to make it work. Make sure it is a presentable space, so please don’t have your dirty laundry in the background. Way too vulnerable.
Vulnerable leadership
It is ok not to know when the pandemic will end. You can say I don’t have all your answers. Also, I take the time to acknowledge how that feels for someone who wants to be reassured at that time. Everyone has their own challenges that are unique to them. Answers are not always required.
Create a different routine
Everyone finds comfort in their predictable routines so create them. Find new ways to create a rhythm whether that is a phone call to check in personally, or team meetings, or even small tasks.
Find a way to relate to your staff to show up and show you care in a way that matters to them. Empathy matters now, but remember the pandemic won’t last forever.
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