Next year is going to be a brand new way of working for all of us, and for B-Suite leaders this will bring a whole new challenge to bear, because one size will definitely not fit all.
It’s not like way 1 – ‘office work’, and it’s not like way 2 – ‘work from home’. It’s a whole new gig – a definite phase 3.
Don’t make the mistake that it’s basically 1.1 or 2.1 because you won’t create a work experience that’s a bit like working from home or a bit like office work. You’ll create an experience that sucks, and then you’ll have to live with it. Remember what it was like to be the only person dialling into an office meeting? That’s what I mean.
So while you’re enjoying a bit of downtime (I hope), I’d love you to consider how you might deliberately design the 3rd way for you and your team. Here are three ideas to ruminate on. If you have more to add to this list I would LOVE that, send me a note.
Pace
Don’t feel you need to respond instantly to every notification you get. People will either wait or sort it out themselves. Reacting at hyper-speed is addictive and it’s the result of being pinned to the screen all day. It’s an unhealthy expectation to carry into the new year. Think back to 2019. What was a reasonable response time then?
Room and Respect
If you’re moving between floors in the new year for your meetings, you’ll go back to being 5-7 minutes late for everything, which for people who are waiting for you online will be an eternity. If you’re 2 mins late to a TEAMs call, someone is already texting you to make sure you’re joining aren’t they? Instead, try making your default meeting time 50 mins instead of 60, or 20 instead of 30, giving everyone both room and respect.
Connection
- Contact is critical: Have you selected specific days when you’ll be in the office only to find that you’re in back to back meetings all day so your people don’t see you? What’s the point of them coming in then? A visible leader is a valuable leader.
- All for one and one for all: Are you going to have the ‘second class citizen’ experience of dialling into an in-office meeting? Or are you going to have an all-for-one principle around that? Meeting etiquette does matter.
As one of my favourite clients said recently: “only dead fish go with the flow”.
It’s being deliberate that gets results.
Now what?
- Now – you should read my 2022 forecast. It’s rather good.
- Next – BoldHR™ is on holiday – 21 Dec-17 Jan.
- After – Enabling B-Suite Leaders to reconnect the disconnect – new training and mentoring modules for 2022.
Rebecca is Australia’s pre-eminent advocate for B-suite leadership – the expert in developing hi-impact B-Suite leadership at both a team and individual level.
Speak to Rebecca about:
- Individual and group coaching
- Team effectiveness and training
- People & Culture Advisory
You can reach her on rebecca.houghton@boldhr.com.au
