It’s one thing to cultivate a cool, professional persona in the office but (as we’re all discovering) the world of remote work has NO boundaries. Whether it’s Carla’s dog leaping up on to her desk, or Derek’s kids shooting Nerf guns at your head, a glimpse into your colleague’s home can reveal more context than years of ‘making nice’ across the open-plan.
But beware getting a ‘false positive’: Yes, you’re seeing more of your team than ever, but do you really know what’s going on for them? These are strange (and potentially tough) times – everyone’s situation is unique. As a leader you know you need to bridge the empathy gap, but where to start?
If you want to know how your team are truly feeling, get curious. Duck the obvious asks, (‘How are you feeling?’ ‘Anything on your mind?’) and experiment with some creative questions. Whether you deliver them during a catch-up or via email questionnaire the key is to get curious and really listen to the response.
We’ve come up with some ‘starter’ questions to get your creative juices flowing. Try them out on your team – the answers you get back might surprise you!
