(Note to readers: We received a lot of valuable feedback on this post! People requested more detail on how to observe remote workers, so we expanded our previous post. Thank you for reading, and we hope the additions are helpful! — Ken)

How do I know people are doing the right things in the right way when they are working remotely?

I’m hearing this question a lot as remote and hybrid working have become the “new normal.” Operating virtually creates a genuine barrier, and we all know it. But it’s a barrier that skillful leaders can leap over.

The practice of spreading positive gossip is a sure way for leaders and teams to equally engage team members who are located at the office or worksite as well as those working remotely. 

Ken Wagner, Ph.D., Senior Principal at ALULA, shares important insights that can help leaders and teams thrive in a hybrid work environment.

Coauthored by: Ken Wagner, Ph.D. and J.P. Martinez

The flames are mesmerizing, the noise overwhelming, and the sheer power is remarkable. These words do not come close to illustrating the brilliance of a rocket launched on its way into space. And while truly incredible, the awe-inspiring physical representation of achieving escape velocity in some ways distracts from the true accomplishment; consider what is necessary for a successful launch. All the people, all the parts, and all the conditions must line up together, in just the right way, at the right time.

As I was reading the quote on the wall, I felt a sense of pride; it resonated deeply with me. I went to the museum café, grabbed a napkin, and copied the quote. Later, I typed it, printed it on fancy paper, put it in a frame, and it’s been on a shelf in my office for nearly 30 years. It’s a quote from Albert Einstein, posted on a wall in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.  

“Most coaches study the films when they lose. I study them when we win—to see if I can figure out what I did right.”

—Paul “Bear” Bryant, University of Alabama Head Football Coach

A new year brings the opportunity to apply learnings from the previous year and plan for areas where you want to improve. One thing I’ve seen over my years of coaching are leaders who go through their days bouncing from place-to-place and task-to-task, at the end of the day, feel as though they’ve not accomplished any of the work they planned.

Leaders have long been encouraged to empower and engage the people around them. But usually it’s talked about as a one-way approach – the leader as the provider and the employee as the recipient. What if there was a reciprocal strategy on the part of the employee to further capitalize on the empowering approach the leader provides? In other words, what’s the analogous work-smarter-not-harder response for the employee in this situation?

Leadership is all about helping others to excel. As a leader, how do you achieve that?

In 1982, W. Edwards Deming published his 14 Points of Management and described what he called the System of Profound Knowledge. His ideas and writings continue to revolutionize manufacturing and organizational excellence by influencing innovators, thought leaders, and organizational teams throughout the world.

“How do I know my remote team is just as productive as when I was able to see them in the office?”

“How do I know they are doing the right things in the right way? Are there metrics I can use?”

“How can I be sure my remote employees are fully engaged, even though I’m not around?”

I’m hearing these questions a lot as remote work has become the “new way of work.” As a leader, what can you do? Do you use keystroke counters and always-on cameras to see them—because you can’t fully trust them? Or, maybe you should “trust but verify?” Or, “trust and hope for the best?”