First, we hope you, your family and your colleagues are staying healthy and safe. Like many / most of you I am so tired of COVID – talking about it, fearing it and living with its repercussions. Most of us have now spent MONTHS (six to be exact and still counting . . . ) working remotely and there is no end in sight. We have spent more time in front of a camera recently then ever before and I for one am really sick of looking at myself up close and personal (as are many of my colleagues ☹). We have had to adjust to getting our work done in an environment that may no longer have strict hours and I personally find myself working more and at odd times. COVID has tested us all in different ways and leaders are no exception.
I recently read an interesting article, “The Surprising Traits of Good Remote Leaders” and was not surprised but VERY pleased to see that doers are finally getting their due. According to the article, “. . . . the confidence, intelligence and extroversion that have long propelled ambitious workers into the executive suite are not enough online, because they simply don’t translate into virtual leadership. Instead, workers who are organized, dependable and productive take the reins of virtual teams. Finally, doers lead the pack – at least remotely.” In a virtual world, progress is measured by what gets done, not what someone says they are doing. We have all had THAT team member who gets along on their charm or ability to figure out a way to get everyone else to do their work for them. A recent study showed that face-to-face teams often choose leaders with the “same confident, magnetic, smart-seeming extroverted traits that we often see in organizational leaders”. But those chosen as remote leaders were doers, who tended towards planning, connecting teammates with help and resources, keeping an eye on upcoming tasks and, most importantly, getting things done. These leaders were goal-focused, productive, dependable and helpful.”
As we work remotely, as leaders, the only way for us to measure the progress of our people is by what they produce. By the way, our people are also looking to see what we are getting done as well because that will be their measure of leadership. I have personally hired a few hundred people in my day and recruited the same for our clients. I have been burned by the charismatic person who talks a good game but comes in and does very little. I will always take that person that works hard and can provide me with solid examples of what they have personally done. At The Mpower Group we do a lot of work in Competency Based Talent Management where we help clients measure the “competency” of their organization, determine the gaps and help them close those gaps. True competency is measured by what you DO, not just by what you know because your company gets zero value (I would argue – negative value) by you having a skill or knowledge that you are not using. COVID has shined a light on those that DO and those that simply talk a good game.
It’s about time that doers are getting recognized for their contributions and many are being tapped for leadership roles that they never thought possible. Many of us may decide that remote work is not just the present but also makes sense for the future. If that is the case, as you are looking for competent resources for your organization you should be recruiting the doers.
Let us know what you think and join in the conversation . . . . . .
