Dirk Coetsee

“All management has become change management”

Harvard Business review

While some companies have grappled with adapting their culture to one of having to manage remote teams’ others have found to their surprise that they could increase productivity through remote work with relative ease.

In essence, the rapid changes forced upon us all through the Pandemic has swiftly impacted the way work is done and managed and we had to embrace it swiftly or suffer unchartered consequences.

In the past as technology advanced in the workspace Human resources practisioners started to advocate a ‘High Tech/ High Touch approach, sending a warning signal that we would do well to not over focus on tech at the expense of empowering our workforce and creating a healthy work environment for them.

Remote work has challenged our capacity as leaders and forced an urgent and multi-layered question upon us:

How do we ensure quality engagement, employee motivation and a positive and sustainable high-performance culture within the context of remote work?

 Oh, but wait a minute ….

The above question is not complete- How do we manage the new norm of remote work within the context of waves of change thrusted upon us around every corner at dizzying speed?

Questions such as the above can be intriguing but they can also be overwhelming unless we take brave action towards practical solutions. It is high time that the paradigm is shifted from sharing discourses and philosophies through well marketed webinars to implementation of useful change initiatives.

The master Philosopher and Poet Rumi said:

‘As you go out on the way, the way appears’

An interpretation of his eloquent words can be that by taking swift action based upon professionally researched information (limited during the new norm) the answers will come.

Some of our clients (whom we will not name for the sake of privacy),  has weathered the storm for various reasons, yet three key and common reasons are highlighted for the purposes of this writing:

• They have maintained their well-established Learning Culture even when not in operation through regular knowledge sharing sessions both internally and from external experts.
• They always have taken a strong stand on their company values but even more so during lockdown. Their value system is not a philosophy it is a non-negotiable practice.
• Daily continuity meetings stimulated creative solutions, fostered solidarity in leadership and built confidence in employees.

They rose to maximum production capacity within an impressive timeframe and it is almost ‘business as usual’ for their teams

Now, add  time-saving ,engaging and inspirational performance management to sound Change Leadership principles such as displayed by some of our clients and you might just have stumbled upon a potent combination that will help you thrive and be sustainable post Pandemic.

A Harvard and Gallup study has proven that 90% of all employees on average need clear goals , kpis’ , clear information on what to execute and how to execute it. A lack of clarity on the way forward is therefore a red flag.

Considering the absence ‘of a crystal ball’ wherein all of us can remotely view a certain future we can do well to ‘future-proof’ our companies by:

• Creating a sustainable Learning culture
• Taking a stand on our company values
• Obtaining buy in from all stakeholders and co-creating solutions
• Giving employees clarity through goal and kpi -setting
• Inspiring the workforce through quality leadership

All of the above is possible to achieve even with remote working teams. Considering the wealth of technology available to us we can apply a high tech/high touch when it comes to engaging our team members.

Online Performance management has progressively become more engaging. By aligning the hearts and minds of our team members to the Vision, purpose and values of the company and through inspirational and fair management of tasks and KPIs we can create a new and bright future together.

To have better chance to achieve company objectives, it is important to choose the right method of objective setting. You can do it via the SMART approach:

Set SMART objectives

The term SMART was first introduced by George T. Doran: “There’s an S.M.A.R.T way to write management objectives and objectives”. Using the SMART method provides a clear & simple way to define and manage company objectives.

Specific: There is a higher chance of achieving a specific objective than a general objective. Be clear on what exactly needs to be achieved by writing down objectives that responds properly to the five “W” questions:

• What does the company want to achieve?
• Why is the objective important?
• Who are those involved?
• Where will the objective be achieved?
• Which resources will be needed to achieve it?

These questions will give clarity on what the objective is about.

Measurable: How will you know if the objective has been achieved? The objective should be trackable with a clear exception. Being able to track the progress of the objective will help the whole company stay focused, meet the deadlines and also remain motivated. An measurable objective should be able to address any of these questions correctly:

• How much?
• How many?
• How will I know when it is accomplished?

Achievable: How realistic is the objective? Can it be achieved? Achievable objectives have the tendency to be more successful. It should stretch abilities, but at the same time, it should be possible attainable.

• How can this objective be accomplished?
• Considering other factors, how realistic is the objective?
• Is the objective achievable within the time frame?

The questions above will help in considering influence, resources, and the work environment in achieving the objectives.

Relevant: Does this objective have a potential to impact your company’s vision and values and future? When setting a objective, it should be instrumental to the mission and vision of your company. The objective must mean a lot to the company success path.

• Is it solving an issue?
• Is it moving everyone forward?
• What questions is the objective answering to?

A objective that is relevant will be worthwhile, will match efforts and needs, and it will be the right time to achieve it.

Time-bound: A objective should have a deadline to focus on and with something to work toward. This will enhance priorities and eliminate waste of time and most probably resources. When an objective has an end date, the focus will be on it and not on daily activities that can affect the long-term objective. For every objective, includes a specific time frame, specific date, mile stone or something that can indicate when it will be finalized.