3 Signs You’ve Lost Your Virtual Team – 2 Questions To Win Them Back

Written by: Latissia "Coach T" Cobbs, Executive Contributor

Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.

Today, most companies have embraced work from home culture. Afterall, it saves them money AND it’s what the employees prefer. Win-win, right? Yes! But it can easily be a lose-lose if employee engagement plummets faster than your ability to properly respond to it.

You are the leader, so you are responsible for fixing it. What’s the solve, here?

First, let’s address the elephant in the room. Your people are quietly quitting on you 26% of workers admit they do the bare minimum or less ², and you don’t know why or WHAT to do about it. Somehow, you have lost your audience and you do not know how to get them back.

You have seen plenty of signs lately, but the most concerning signs are:

1. They have stopped asking questions.

2. They only participate in mandatory events.

3. They give the least amount of effort possible.

It’s common to focus on your emotions-such as feeling rejected or the shame of “failing” them. You should, no doubt, give yourself the space to feel those emotions. But only focusing on those emotions, does not move you forward. To move forward, you must DO something that moves you forward.

How do you want to respond to the signs you have observed? High-performing leaders use it to create on-demand change, by asking themselves two questions:

1. How am I responsible?

2. How will I improve it immediately?

Here are examples, using the above concerning signs.

They stop asking questions.

Question To Ask Yourself:

1. How am I Responsible? Am I asking them questions?

2. How will I improve it immediately?

   • Ask for your team's feedback on your leadership style and suggestions for improvement. Then, implement them immediately (ouch).

   • Ask your team's opinions on key initiatives or ideas. Then, show them you considered their input (even if it is not implemented).

   • Ask them, "How can I help/support YOU?" Then, support them immediately.

   • Change the culture! Create alignment and structure across your organization with a templated communication strategy for all team meetings.

     • Create a line item on the template, asking "How can I help/support YOU?"

     • Standardize the team communication template across your organization.
       

They only participate in mandatory events.

High-performing leaders see this as a complete win-win. You get to lead effectively (win) and use time, money, and resources more efficiently by streamlining event offerings (win). Sign me up!

Question To Ask Yourself:

1. How am I Responsible ‒ How am I ensuring that mandatory events bring more value?

2. How will I improve it immediately ‒

• Use mandatory events as an opportunity to share any rewards & recognition, training & development opportunities that the organization provides.

• Use mandatory events to ask for direct feedback/questions.

• Make some voluntary events, mandatory. Especially the ones that pour into the employee, such as wellness-related activities, personal development opportunities, etc.
  

They give the least amount of effort possible.

We don't quit our jobs, we quit our bosses. If your team has given up on you, it's because you gave up on them first.

Questions To Ask Yourself:

1. How am I Responsible ‒ What amount of effort am I giving to let them know I appreciate them?

2. How will I improve it immediately ‒

   • Communicate your appreciation to your team, often and publicly.

   • Offer them training and development.

   • Ask for their opinion and input.

   • Be likable!
     

Gone are the days when employees only come to work for a paycheck. They come to be seen, heard AND paid. It also doesn't hurt if they like you. The sooner you realize AND leverage this, the sooner you get the most out of your team.

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Read more from Latissia!

Latissia "Coach T" Cobbs, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine

Coach T is an Entrepreneur, a Disabled Army Veteran, and a High Performance Coach who is passionate about teaching success-driven Entrepreneurs & Corporate Leaders to perform at their HIGHEST levels in leadership, by creating the strategic mindset required to perform at their HIGHEST levels in life. She is the CEO of Fyt 2 Live Coaching Services, a Professional Coaching Agency that enables highly motivated leaders to learn radical self-acceptance: partnering with them to uncover their inner power, helping them step out of the box they've always thought they belonged in, and embracing new standards for their lives.