Leadership from behind the kitchen table

Basically the same, only the way is situational

Ron Eman ISA Training & Coaching

It happened fast, ominously fast. For example, on Thursday customers wanted to continue with our training, perhaps against their better judgment, and on Monday one cancellation after another came in. Immediately rigorous: the agendas were cleared for the time being until the end of May. Now that the corona virus is controlling our lives and a 'new normal' seems to be emerging, we are cautiously receiving requests about remote leadership. Although we can usually be labeled as 'progressive people' with themes such as The New Way of Working, open-plan offices, flexible workplaces, fiber optic and flexible working, old patterns in leadership now appear to be getting in the way during corona times. Especially if these leadership patterns arose in the industrial era in which many managers have (still) been trained. I think that leadership forced from behind the kitchen table is essentially the same as leadership before corona, but the way in which this has to be done has changed quickly.

The core of leadership has not changed

For me, the core of leadership is still touching people from personal strength and vision to jointly initiate and direct change in order to achieve goals. Whether that is forced from behind the kitchen table or from my work environment. Only the way I now manage, coach or guide is different. And yes, this forced change, just like any organizational change before corona, also evokes a degree of resistance. It requires all of us, managers or not, to adapt to our ingrained behavior. Normally we have a change process within which people can get used to the change and we have well-thought-out resources that support this change. Now we have to change under steam and boiling water, without it being clear what resources support this change and what structures we use. It's instead of management by walking around, management by mailing and chatting around. As managers, we need different skills for this, but not a different attitude.

Adapted skills, same attitude

The attitude I needed and now need, just like with any change, is that as a manager it is my job to think in terms of possibilities and to consider the state of mind, situation and needs of colleagues in relation to the change . And to pay attention to that, ask questions and listen. After all, colleagues do not always like the forced situation due to corona without a change process. In our case, providing online training or coaching from the kitchen at home, with children running around around you who cannot lose their energy at the moment. That also requires something from my colleagues.

The skill that the situation really requires as a manager is letting go. Letting go in terms of how an employee and when an employee does the work. We can no longer manage on presence, but rather on results – output. Both managers and employees have to embrace a new way of working together and, at least for me, we have to let go of old patterns. The periodic standard appointments of one hour are no longer available. The appointments are now much more frequent and shorter, sometimes very short. For example, to test whether mutual expectations are clear, whether things are going well at home and to what extent agreements with customers can be kept given the (home) situation. The model that really fits now is that of situational leadership, where you link your leadership style to what the situation requires. One day more guidance and adjustment is needed on the agreed results, the other day more attention to the health of the colleague's family. The great thing is, there is no change plan due to the coronavirus. The situation forces us all, managers and employees, into the deep end.

Rescue in the deep

How do you survive in the deep? Then watch the recorded virtual meeting via Teams, for example, and pay particular attention to your own performance. How situational is your performance during this online meeting? You can learn a lot from that. That can only lead to a steep learning curve that is designed from behind the kitchen table. After all, change starts with self-insight. I wish you all good health and a steep learning curve from behind the kitchen table in these very educational times.