When we work virtually and we can’t see our team members, many fears can arise, and with good reason.
First of all, we can’t see the people we work with every day. We have to trust that they are actually doing the job we need them to do.
Second, we don’t often get to look them in the eye to know if they actually understand what we expect of them.
Third, do we know all that they know? What if they alone have a vital piece of information that could significantly impact the way we do business over the coming days, weeks, months or even years?
Link Individual Goals to Larger Business Goals
As business owners, we know that our personal goals are in many ways linked to our business, but it’s all too easy to forget that. Have you ever found yourself on a path and one day looked up and wondered, “What am I doing here? This isn’t the future I saw for myself 10 years ago.”
Sometimes it’s an amazing feeling that leaves us awestruck and thinking, “Wow! I wouldn’t have imagined this in my wildest dreams!! This is why I’m here! This is what life is all about!” Other times, we can look up and have a sinking feeling in our hearts, “How did I get here? Why the hell am I doing this? I feel so burnt out. What happened to my passion?”
If we’ve lost sight of what drives us personally, we certainly can’t expect our team members to figure it out, and so it shouldn’t surprise us when it seems like their focus and priorities are out of sync with our own ideas of what’s needed for the success of the business. Keep your broader life and business goals in mind at all times and help your team do the same.
Hold Yourself and Your Team to the Same Expectations
Often we’re concerned that our team members won’t understand what we expect of them. How can we imagine others will know what we need from them when perhaps we’re not even positive about what we need from ourselves?
When working with a team, we must all be able to clearly define our roles and responsibilities and effectively convey our priorities and aspirations with one another. It just won’t work unless everyone’s on the same page.
The key is having an extremely lucid vision and purpose that we are fully passionate about and aligned with, both mentally and emotionally. Others will feel when we are passionate and likewise, they can feel when we’re indifferent, and these feelings are infectious.
Communicate Your Needs and Your Vision
Many times we fear that we don’t know all the important information that our team members know. Well, if we don’t effectively communicate our vision, objectives and concerns, it won’t be evident to them what data is essential.
If they understand the policies and procedures but they don’t understand the spirit behind them, they can’t make educated choices. They simply become rule-following employees, which prevents them from seeing themselves as partners in our business.
Conversely, when we are all colleagues working toward a common goal, we can then trust them to have our best interests at heart because they know that when we grow and succeed, they do as well. Team members who are empowered and aligned with our purpose will know what we need and when to share it.
Know Your Vision, Purpose and Passion
This is vital. When our passions are intense, our team members can sense it. When we’re true to our purpose, it inspires them. When we’re clear in our vision, we can help others see it too.
This allows our associates to be certain about the role they need to play, what direction they need to take, and provides them the tools to make the right decisions to promote the business.
We, as business owners, must be extremely clear and aligned with our vision, purpose and passion, both mentally and emotionally, in order for our team to be able to support us properly.
Discover the Freedom of Possibility
My passion lies in getting the most out of global and local virtual teams. I also love travel, amazing food, gorgeous environments and supporting others in realizing their full potential through collaboration.
As we take our journey together, I will show you how I work virtually and why I love it. I might be in café in Paris one day and on a beach the next. I stay in close connection with my team members, who have the flexibility to live their lives as well. You’ll see how we unite, how we grow and how we celebrate.
I don’t know what the end product will look like exactly, but I absolutely know where I’m heading and I will take you there with me. In the same way, you may not be certain that at some point in your journey you’ll end up on a beach in Australia, but you do know your passion for travel and the ocean. For now, that’s enough.
In Love and Freedom,
Priya
