I know many of us have been racing to stand still this week, finding new ways of working, not just to maintain the day job but to also ensure the success of our teams. Here are 10 things that have been learnt and some things that I am still learning. Please feel free to add your own in the comments at the end.

1. LEARNING TO LEAD
FROM A DISTANCE(or 10 tips that week one of WFH has taught me)
©Becky McOwen-Banks
21 March 2020
IP of @BeckyMcB 2020
Photo credit @yanalya

2. Being part of the amazing Berlin School of Creative
Leadership global MBA course has done many things,
including underpinning how important it is as leaders that
we understand and respond to the needs of our teams.
Now more than ever (in my career certainly) we are running into
unchartered territory for the majority of industries. Our role
as leaders for today needs to step to the fore.
We have been schooled as to the delicate balance between
psychological safety and accountability in enabling individuals
to perform at their best, yet when we also roll physical safety
from a global pandemic all previous cues are off.
How we enable people to feel safe and engaged still remains key,
as we navigate the lack of shared spaces and limitations of
remote working. It is our empathy and humanity to maintain,
monitor and support our people from an individual and a team
perspective - whilst also keeping our businesses driving forward
- that will be a learning curve for us all.
That's why I wanted to share my thoughts from this week,
and invite others to add what they too have found.
©Becky McOwen-Banks
Learning to lead from a distance - 21 March 2020
Doodlecredit@cynthiayoung

3. NURTURE THE GROUP
Set times to pull the group together (we're doing a daily 10:30
department check-in) allow each member a time to speak, encourage
generosity. Ask everyone to pop their hand up if they have time to
assist someone else.
Pleasecontacttoattributephoto
1.
©Becky McOwen-Banks
Learning to lead from a distance - 21 March 2020

4. BUT DON'T FORGET
THE INDIVIDUAL
Video calls and group hangouts are great for enabling people
to maintain the banter and feel connected, however it is key
that individuals are not lost in the mix.
Keep up your 1-2-1s, review how people are coping and what
they are needing, be sure to check and review personal goals
to keep people motivated and most importantly ensure they
know that the company is still set on the future.
And be prepared that people will respond entirely differently -
for the better potentially! We have seen some teams find their
feet and flourish.
PhotobyAustrisAugustsonUnsplash
2.
©Becky McOwen-Banks
Learning to lead from a distance - 21 March 2020

5. SIGN INTO THOSE
MEETINGS - TWICE
Practical one here - sign in to hangouts/zoom etc on your computer (for the
visuals) but also on your phone.
This enables you to stand up, move around your space whilst not losing
contact with the call and missing information.
Pleasecontacttoattributephoto
3.
©Becky McOwen-Banks
Learning to lead from a distance - 21 March 2020

6. KEEP BRAINS
ENGAGED
Set creative tasks outside the usual parameters.
Working from home as if we are at the day job will
drive us all mad, so set some creative brain teasers
to allow minds to wander and get people to share
these thoughts.
Who knows they could become new business
opportunities.
Photoby@Lunarts
4.
©Becky McOwen-Banks
21 March 2020

7. SHARE ALL NEWS
Now it is more important than ever that
conversations and information is shared,
otherwise the rumour mill will replace reality.
Be open from the outset, sharing leadership decisions
on the day they are taken, sharing the thinking that is
happening (where appropriate) so your team can
contribute and comment to decisions as they are taken.
5.
©Becky McOwen-Banks
Learning to lead from a distance - 21 March 2020

8. THE NEW DAYS
ARE NOT LIKE THE
OLD DAYS
It is easy to become tethered to your laptop and people
start to feel trapped.
The way we have attempted to combat this is to instigate
‘school hours’ where meetings are allowed to happen,
complete with ‘break times’ when they aren’t.
So a break mid-morning for 30 mins, an hour for lunch
and a break mid afternoon. Give everyone the permission
to refuse meeting invites, calls and ignore emails at
these times - unless it is to share time with
a friend, just no shop-talk.
And lead by example - keep these hours yourself.
PhotobySujeethPotlaonUnsplash
6.
©Becky McOwen-Banks
Learning to lead from a distance - 21 March 2020

9. STAY SOCIAL
Find new ways to keep up the regular social events
- be it morning yoga, virtual pub quizzes (as people
set up at my agency) or communal tea-times.
We all need the connection and lighter moments in
these strange times.
Photoby@BobaJagkici
7.
©Becky McOwen-Banks
Learning to lead from a distance - 21 March 2020

10. SIGNPOST
MOMENTS WITH
SENSES
Lighting, sounds, smells as well as changing our view for
a few moments all become more important.
If we are in one space for an extended time it will become
more important that we find ways to delineate and detach
from working and allow ourselves to switch off and relax.
Simply switching on the side lights to mark the evening and
down-time. Or (brace yourself) now could be the time to get
into scented candles either to share some energising fragrance
during the day or to mark the time to relax at the end.
Practically it can also help mask the food smells
for those working in the kitchen.
Photoby@isiparente
8.
©Becky McOwen-Banks
Learning to lead from a distance - 21 March 2020

11. And of course sound: be it with Noisli to bring some
office bustle into our homes, Classic fm for
concentration or free-form jazz.
Find the sounds that work for you in your different
modes and be sure to switch when you switch off.
Sharing the soundtrack in the ‘work hours’ will bring
people together too, so a shared playlist everyone can
contribute to (and complain about) will help create those
shared moments we know from office life.
Photoby@pinjasur
8.
©Becky McOwen-Banks
21 March 2020

12. FOR THE WHOLE
OF YOUR TEAM
Personal care is paramount at this time and as leaders we all need to keep a
look out for signs of stress and detachment. Listening and being sure to stay
present on the one-to-one calls and team moments is key.
Keep short notes and annotations on conversations so we can pick up on
details and be aware of developments. Understand who you can gain mental
health advice from now, so you are ready should you need it to support your
team.
Physical wellbeing should not be overlooked either and whilst we can’t pry we
need to keep our eyes out for any changes. Some team members may not be
eating well, others may not have adjusted their intake in line with the cut-down
on physical activity. Those shared moments of yoga or walking breaks help here
and also fundamentally change video calls from tying you to a desk, to be about
sharing your moment with others.
Which leads me on to...
Photoby@dylan_nolte
9.
©Becky McOwen-Banks
Learning to lead from a distance - 21 March 2020

13. Photoby@donalguymedia
10.
OVERSHARING IS THE
NEW SHARING
It is vital that we allow people into our lives more
at this time, to create the human connections where
we would normally fill them with chatter and daily
office contact.
Whether that is sharing the art on your walls,
or members of your family who wander past
or even a weekly selfie video calling out
the great work your team have done,
as well as thanks and encouragement.
©Becky McOwen-Banks
Learning to lead from a distance - 21 March 2020

14. Find moments where you can connect the life you are having now with
the one you team may be having only a few miles away.
Hacking ‘work’ technology like video conferencing to encourage people
to make lunch and take walks together, sharing their scenes and
surroundings builds connections through
the unscripted moments.
Photoby@anniespratt
10.
©Becky McOwen-Banks
Learning to lead from a distance - 21 March 2020

15. So everything has changed, yet nothing has changed.
We all as humans seek connection and motivation.
It’s our role as leaders to find new ways to fulfil on this.
Good luck.
Becky McOwen-Banks @BeckyMcB
Pleasecontacttoattributephoto
©Becky McOwen-Banks
Learning to lead from a distance - 21 March 2020