Culture Rescue: Moving From “Social Distancing” to “Socializing at a Distance”

It might sound like a play on words, but it is actually a serious distinction that could preserve the culture you have been building in your organization.

These are dangerous times, and uncertainty abounds. You should absolutely adhere to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and keep your distance and wash your hands. But when introduced to a new idea like “social distancing,” or “social isolation,” put more emphasis on the “social” while maintaining the “distance” if you want to continue to develop a winning culture, even during times of global crisis.

From MBWA to MBZA

In a time where working from home has become the new norm and businesses are being asked to close for the foreseeable future, it can become easy to allow all communication with your team to be conducted through email and an occasional text message. There are some on your team who will love this, and there are some who will struggle. Regardless of the individual responses to a “shelter in place” world, it is your responsibility as a leader to keep connections strong and make a way for your team to promote the culture and values you have fought so hard to instill. In a world where Managing by Walking Around (MBWA) is no longer possible, you can develop a Managing by Zooming Around (MBZA) mindset.

10 Ways to Keep Your Culture Growing

1.      Increase your 1:1 connections. If you already conduct a regular 1:1 call with the people on your team, good for you! Now is a time to increase the frequency. During an unprecedented crisis like the one we are experiencing currently, two to three times per week would be advisable. If that is not possible due to the size of your team, determine what would be possible and do that. People need to know they are not alone and not forgotten. They also need to hear what you are hearing.

2.      Increase your team communication. Make a way for the team to hear from you on a regular basis during this crisis. They will have questions. They will be curious as to what you know. How is the business doing? Are our jobs at risk? Listen and provide as much detail as possible in your communication to the team.

3.      Use the appropriate technology to connect. While a conference call may have worked in the “good ole days,” times of crisis may require a combination of ways to connect.

a.      A phone call – always a good medium for connecting personally with a member of your team.

b.      Text messaging – less personal, but an encouraging text from your boss can help reduce anxiety and the feeling that I am alone out here.

c.      Video conferencing – tools like Zoom, Skype, Teams, and others are making it incredibly easy to enjoy face-to-face conversations at a distance. Tip: Let people know in advance that you want cameras on. No one wants to be surprised that cameras are expected to be on when they are sitting there in their pajamas.

d.      Email – the least personal of all communication styles, but can still be effective if done correctly. Use it mostly for progressing work projects, but don’t forget to add a personal touch so those on the distribution can still feel connected and valued during this challenging time.

4.      Encourage peer-to-peer connections. While hearing from the leader is essential, equally important is to encourage the connection between the people on the team. Ask a few of your key people to begin reaching out to others on the team. People do what people see. Before long, it will become an expected behavior for everyone.

5.      Make it more personal. People handle a crisis in different ways. Some will have more anxiety than others. Be sure to inquire more frequently about how they are doing personally. Listen. Exhibit empathy, even though you may not feel the same, allowing them to feel the way they feel without judgment from you, is a great way to build connections.

6.      Determine how you can help them. Be listening for ways you can help the people on your team during this time of crisis. It might be a personal need, or it might be helping get their job done in a remote working world.

7.      Find ways to show you care for them. Now is the best time you have ever had to find ways to show care to the people on your team. In many cases, it may just be listening without judgment. In other cases, you might find a need you can help meet for the person or their family.

8.      Promote an attitude of possibility. It is easy to let times of crisis overwhelm the team with what they can’t do. Instead, use your communication time to promote a mindset of moving from optimal to what’s possible.

9.      Encourage creativity. A crisis is also a fantastic time to get creative about how you do business. What processes need to change? What procedures need to improve? How can we support our clients who are also struggling in this new normal?

10.   Keep your sense of humor. It is a serious time, but don’t be so serious that you can’t share a smile or a laugh with your team. Appropriate humor and the ability to laugh at ourselves is a great tension reliever, and there is no shortage of tension right now.

Leaders are not made in a crisis; they are revealed. This is a unique time in our history where leaders can make a real and sustained difference in their business and in the people they lead. You were made for a time like this. Make it Remarkable!!