Owing to the flexibility and effectiveness it facilitated, the “Work From Home Concept” was on the rise even before 2020. With the outbreak of COVID-19, working from home is no longer a privilege. It is a necessity.
TIME, a globally leading news network, refers Covid outbreak as the world’s most extensive “work from home” experiment. And, by looking at the research, we can predict that it is here to stay!
As the highest-ranking executive of your organization, it is a CEO’s responsibility to support your staff and help them achieve the organizational goals. Therefore, with a paradigm shift from running in-premise businesses to managing the company virtually, it is more important than ever for CEOs to upscale their virtual leadership skills.
Working from home can be incredibly beneficial for both leaders and employees, but it is not immune to challenges. So the expert at HP Consulting carried out in-depth research to determine the key steps to guarantee a Virtual CEO’s success.
The steps listed in this article can help you obtain the highest level of Virtual CEO success. Read on to learn more about the strategies to become a Veteran Virtual CEO.
Excellent Tips For Becoming A Veteran Virtual CEO
Put Your Experience To Use
From years of working as a CEO for your company, you have in-depth knowledge about the business. You are aware of what works for your company and what doesn’t. For a smooth transition between in-office work culture and remote working culture, you have to use this experience and knowledge.
You have to think about establishing virtual settings that can give your employee the same opportunities to carry out their responsibilities and achieve the company’s goals and objectives under these working setups.
You might be playing the same role but under drastically different circumstances. Therefore along with putting your experience to use, you also need to understand that obtaining expertise as a Virtual CEO will take time and require constant learning.
Hard Work & Smart Work
Hard work is vital for success; we all agree on that. However, hard work doesn’t always equal long working hours. Occasionally extending your working hours to complete specific tasks is okay, but that shouldn’t be a constant approach.
The ‘work hard & Smart Approach’ getting your virtual business up and running by implementing productive steps and innovative strategies . One of the pioneering methods to balance hard work and clever work is the “ROWE Mindset”. ROWE stands for “result only work environment”. Many CEOs claim to have attained tremendous success by giving their employees the freedom to work with flexibility as long as they delivered desired results. By focusing on goals and metrics, an organization can surpass the old-school approach of calculating productivity according to the hours spent sitting on the desk.
Consistency
Being consistent is one of the most obvious keys to success, yet most people fail to live by it.
When working virtually, without a structured environment, it is easier to get distracted and cast essential tasks into the “We tried but couldn’t do it” pile. Due to the pandemic situation, there will be unexpected hurdles, and your employees may have a hard time motivating themselves to deliver results. As a CEO, it is imperative for you to be consistent in order to establish a precedent for your staff and maintain a smooth workflow.
Clear & Concise Communication
Without personal interaction and social cues or body language, it is very common to have misunderstandings and miscommunication when working remotely. Hence it is vital to set up a clear and concise communication channel. Follow these tips to make your virtual communication crystal clear.
● Always have a plan – Without a proper schedule, even in-office meetings can get off track. Hence, leaders should have a clear direction in mind and decide upon the topics, goals, and actions.
● Set Expectations – Make your expectations clear to your employees. Please get to know what your employees are comfortable with and balance it with your expectations and best mode of communication.
● Engage – Don’t just assign tasks; engage with your employees! Take the time to understand your team’s reaction, resolve their questions and check in on them more frequently than you would in person.
● Encourage Transparency – The more your employees can express their thoughts, the better they can deliver results for your organization.
Be Human
Along with being a leader and a virtual CEO, you are also a human being with personal responsibilities, aspirations and challenges. All the strategies mentioned above will work only if you are physically and mentally healthy.
Business owners and leaders often ignore their well-being, which poses the risk of exhaustion and burnout. Therefore, for your own well being and to achieve your optimum professional performance, practice these simple tasks daily.
● Set up your ergonomics perfectly – It is crucial to maintain work ergonomics to avoid back pain and poor posture.
● Take ample time to relax- take short breaks in between, go for short walks or have a refreshing meal.
● Hydrate and take good care of your nutrition intake throughout the day. It not only helps you maintain good health but also boosts your focus and prevents fatigue.
Conclusion
There are a lot of other keys to aid you in reaching Virtual CEO Success. Still, by following these simple tips, you can and will make a massive difference in your remote working environment and will be able to gain optimal results from your and your team’s efforts.
