Have you ever found yourself wondering where your boss is all day? What are they even doing? Chances are you have, and the people you lead may have also had these thoughts. One of the greatest challenges for anyone working remotely or virtually is maintaining visibility. Being a present leader is crucial for ensuring that your team feels supported and for you to keep a pulse on what progress they are making. With so many things pulling you away from your team like meetings, deadlines, projects, and so on, how do you ensure that you can remain present and visible to your team?
Here are 5 tips for staying present as a virtual leader.
Tip #1 – Update Your Status
Many companies now use instant messaging tools or email platforms that allow employees to set a personal status. A popular tool is Microsoft Teams, where you can indicate whether you are busy, available, presenting, or away. It’s essential to regularly update your status so your team knows when they can reach out to you. If your status shows “away,” your employees may be less likely to contact you with questions or requests for help. Conversely, if you appear as “available” when you’re not, you may receive messages you can’t respond to promptly, which may lead your team to question whether you’re even there. Make sure you’re updating your status to give people the right expectation on when best to communicate with you.
Tip #2 – Establish Dedicated Communication Channels
This may seem obvious, but in my experience, establishing dedicated communication channels is often overlooked. Work with your team to determine the best way to contact you. Ensure they have a guaranteed way to reach you, whether it’s via instant messenger, email, or another method. The last thing you want is to miss an important message from someone on your team, which could result in a mistake or missed deadline. Setting up something like a group chat with your employees, where you can reliably receive updates, will help ensure that no one, including yourself, is left out of important communications.
Tip #3 – Check In Regularly
Let your team know you are present and ready to help by checking in with them regularly. This can be as simple as sending a “Good morning” message or following up on a task they are working on. Whatever method you choose, make sure to do it consistently. Of course, it’s up to you to gauge how often these check-ins should occur, but if your team doesn’t hear from you for a month or more, they may start to wonder where you’ve been. Regular interaction with your team shows that you value them and sends the message that you are there to support and guide them. Virtual workers are particularly susceptible to feeling isolated and undervalued, so it’s crucial to take steps to counteract these feelings.
Tip #4 – Respond Timely
Many virtual workers struggle with the frustration of not receiving a timely response to their communications. Just as you would expect a quick response from your employees, you should offer the same. Allowing a message from someone to go unanswered for extended periods can be frustrating to the person trying to reach you and can contribute to lowered trust, feelings of isolation, and even employee burnout. Even if you are not able to fully respond or provide an answer to the message right away, it’s important to at least acknowledge that you’ve received it. If you’re too busy to answer or know it will take you some time to be able to fully respond, write back to that person letting them know when you will have the time or when they can expect an answer from you. By doing this, you allow them the freedom to shift focus to something else in the meantime as well as reassure them that you are not ignoring them.
Tip #5 – Communicate Your Workload
Help your team understand how you spend your time by sharing your workload with them. Set aside time each week to sync up and provide insight into the major projects or tasks you’ll be working on. This not only gives them the context they need to reach out to you strategically but also offers an opportunity for them to support you. By understanding your work, they can anticipate when you might need their help and plan accordingly. Allowing employees a glimpse into your responsibilities sets a collaborative tone and encourages them to consider the bigger picture. This level of communication can boost your team’s confidence in your leadership by showcasing your time management and collaborative skills.
It can be challenging to always be present and available for your team, especially if you’re working in a virtual environment. When a leader appears to be unreachable or absent, it can damage the trust and confidence their followers have in them, leading to decreased performance, less communication, mistakes and even burnout. Use these tips to build visibility and create a more connected and engaged team!
Featured image by Kristin Wilson on Unsplash (https://www.travelingwithkristin.com)
Leader's Manual 
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