Leading hybrid, but how? My talk at the herCAREER MeetUp

It is well known that the pandemic has put not only the healthcare system but also the world of work to the test. Although the dust has fortunately settled in the meantime, hybrid and digital working models will continue to accompany us in the future. I spoke about what this can mean for managers last fall at herCAREER’s MeetUp.

Remote leadership – (not) a novelty

My personal viewpoint on remote leadership probably differs from that of many other executives. In fact, the Coronavirus pandemic has meant significantly less change for me and my team than for the majority. Because my coworkers and I work in sales, hybrid and digital collaboration have been part of our daily lives for a long time. Therefore, the pandemic took us far less by surprise.

Trust leads

One value that carries particular weight for me and my leadership aspirations is trust. My view of people is fundamentally positive – so there’s absolutely no question in my mind that my team members will work dutifully, diligently and professionally, even if I’m not looking over their shoulders. This is a piece of advice that I would like to pass on to other managers: Believe in the good in your employees! Trust your team. Worrying that members won’t work remotely is superfluous and won’t help you or the team.

The question of trust: More important than ever for remote leadership

The aforementioned trust in the team takes on added importance, especially in hybrid work models. Instead of pondering whether everyone is working hard, you should make this a basic assumption. For my part, I always assume that people, and therefore team members, are motivated, intrinsically. However, this motivation does not necessarily extend to every task. My job as a leader is therefore to listen carefully and find the task that fills the individual with enthusiasm and motivates him or her. This basic idea makes sense in both hybrid and on-site leadership, but in remote leadership we need to pay even closer attention to the nuances and invest even more in the interaction.