The Virtual Leader Every Employee Wants

Blog The Virtual Leader Every Employee Wants Melodie TurkAugust 02, 2022 Bigstock {"adCodes": [{"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 0, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}, {"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 1, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}, {"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 2, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}], "adsOrder": [2]}

The first time I realized this topic (virtual leadership) was important was about 15 years ago when the organization I worked at implemented a virtual platform for internal collaboration. It has cropped up many times since then but really exploded as an issue during the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost overnight virtual meetings became the way to work and many leaders just didn’t, and still don’t, know how to operate this way.

The big difference is that interaction doesn’t happen organically and has to be planned intentionally.

Since most leaders don’t know how to facilitate a virtual meeting in this way, meetings have become a huge drag on time and energy. People are attending more meetings, but interacting less which causes frustration, burnout, and eventually turnover.

Be the leader who still reaches out and not just at the next meeting.

Be the leader who knows how to use the technology that everyone has to use.

Be the leader who schedules another Zoom call and people actually want to attend.

​The Leader Who Still Reaches Out And Not Just At The Next Meeting

Leaders know how to communicate (mostly), but the game has changed. You can no longer walk down the hall and drop in on an employee, you can no longer catch up with an employee at the coffee pot, and you can no longer linger after a meeting to check in with an employee. To really be good at communication now, you must be INTENTIONAL. You have to plan those drop-ins, those catch-ups, and those linger times. Employees still want your attention and, just like before, they will notice when they don’t get it.

So, do schedule 1:1s with each of your direct reports, do schedule skip level meetings, and do schedule check-ins with your teams. Get strategic with your calendar—figure out your priorities and the people you need to meet with to support those priorities and then schedule that time.

The Leader Who Knows How To Use The Technology That Everyone Has To Use

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No one is comfortable in that meeting where the leader doesn’t know where the share button is or how to let someone else share. It gets frustrating for people when they click the “raised hand” feature and the leader never calls on them. What about the question in the Q&A section that the leader never sees and addresses?

Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, Skype, etc.—all these virtual meeting tools have special features that can bring collaboration and interaction to life in a virtual meeting, but one has to know how to use those features and when and why.

Employees are more comfortable in a meeting that has some structure. A meeting where they know how they are expected to participate and also how they can participate. To provide that experience in a virtual meeting, you need to learn what features are available in your technology platform and learn why you might want to use them.

A great way to learn about technology features is to practice with your team. Schedule a meeting to learn about the technology and how to use its features. It will create unity within your team as you share in a learning experience that will help all of you.

The Leader Who Schedules Another Zoom Call And People Actually Want To Attend

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​Have you had those meetings where no one offers any comments, where people don’t turn their cameras on, where there is no chatting in the chat section? These all could be signs that people don’t really want to be there.

Employees have different schedules than their manager and I often hear that a manager will put meetings on the calendar without taking into consideration other time constraints of their team. This leads to frustration. Employees have to move around recurring meetings or other project meetings to work around the schedule of the manager, which often leads to them doing work during that meeting that was scheduled.

Then, the frustration is compounded because the meeting turns out to be informational only. This isn’t a productive use of time. Employees want information and need it to do their jobs, but scheduling one more meeting to share information they can read on their own seems wasteful.

A better way forward is to assess what information is really read-only and what information they may have feedback on, or you need their input on. Send the one-way information by email and then schedule an interactive meeting where a two-way conversation can take place in a beneficial manner for both sides. You’ll also want to survey the team and find the best time that works for their schedules before putting that meeting on the calendar.

In addition, learn how to facilitate a virtual meeting. Interaction doesn’t happen in the same way as an in-person meeting, and you need and want that input from your team. One way to do this is to add an ice breaker such as a show-n-tell. Have each person share one item in their home office that helps them stay on track. You’ll get them to turn on their cameras, share personal information which builds trust, and start the two-way conversations. Another great addition to a virtual meeting is assigning roles, like a moderator to monitor the chat and Q&A sections, so you don’t miss them; a timekeeper to make sure you don’t run over; and an online scribe to notate decisions and action items the group agrees to. The online notes can be referred to during the meeting and be used as a great closer where everyone can review, update, and agree—in real time—on what’s going to happen after the meeting.

Many of us have become de facto virtual leaders due to the new remote workplace, but that doesn’t mean we’re good at it. It’s time to check your skillset and make sure you’re the virtual leader every employee wants.

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A logical place for recruiters to search for information online about candidates is Google, the largest search engine on the internet. So, when recruiters search for you, what will they see? Good stuff? Bad stuff? Nothing?

Find out what your search results are saying about you:

Nothing

If you are not present on social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, recruiters will never see you at all. That means you could miss out on job opportunities as a result. A Google search will show results for your name from these different social media sites, but, of course, if you haven't completed a profile, you are invisible to recruiters.

Negative Press

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You may be present on different social media sites, but if the information there is negative, you are in a worse position than if there was no information at all. A sloppy profile filled with typos is negative press for you. And, if you have responded with a comment to a video or article with profanity or other negativity, this can show up on Google as well and hurt your professional image.

Great Press

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If you have been intentional about your online presence, what Google says about you can give recruiters a reason to take a second look at you. Here are some pointers on what you can do:

• Google yourself to see what comes up. You need to see what recruiters will see when they search for you. That way you can make any needed adjustments to your online presence.
• Take charge of your ZoomInfo profile. ZoomInfo is a site that automatically collects data about people online from different sources on the internet. Sometimes there will be erroneous information on ZoomInfo under your name because the site confused you with someone else with the same name. Also, there may be information that is omitted about you that should be included. You can go to ZoomInfo for free and claim your name and correct any mistakes there may be. You can also post your picture to your profile if you choose to.
• Create profiles on social media sites for visibility. LinkedIn is the most popular site for professionals, and there are hundreds of thousands of recruiters on LinkedIn searching for candidates. Make sure your profile is complete and it represents you well.

If you follow these tips, then you will have Google singing your praises.

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Read moreShow lesswhat does google say about you {"customDimensions": {"1":"Cheryl Palmer, Jenna Arcand","2":"popular","3":"what does google say about you, social media, what does google say about me, google, zoominfo, linkedin, linkedin profile, google your name, googling your name, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:30445948, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:30445848, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:30446277, ~rmsc:rebelmouse-image:30446629","4":"08/02/2022"}, "post": {"split_testing": {}, "providerId": 14, "sections": [0, 370480899, 376536198, 473333499, 376514019, 479660731, 473310813], "buckets": [], "authors": [19549406, 19836096]} } Job Search #1 Mistake People Make When Talking To Recruiters J.T. O'DonnellAugust 01, 2022 Bigstock {"adCodes": [{"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 0, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}, {"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 1, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}, {"desktop": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "display": true, "mobile": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e", "new_amp": "\u003camp-ad width=336 height=280\n type=\"doubleclick\"\n data-slot=\"/22278042776,22664312254/wit/wit_content\"\n data-multi-size=\"300x250\"\u003e\n\u003c/amp-ad\u003e", "order": 2, "tablet": "\u003cdiv class=\u0027rblad-wit_content\u0027\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"}], "adsOrder": [2]}

This might be the most important lesson you ever learn about talking to recruiters.

I was in the recruiting industry before I flipped to the other side and became an advocate for you, the worker. So what I love to do is share the tips, tricks, secrets to working with a recruiter, and what it's like to be one, so that you can better communicate with them.

With that in mind, this is the biggest mistake I see job seekers make when trying to talk to recruiters...

Not Responding [email protected]#1 Mistake People Make Talking With Recruiters #learnontiktok#interviewtips#recruiter#jobsearchtips#careertiktok#careermode#careeradvice#jobtok#jobsearch♬ original sound - J.T. O'Donnell

You're probably checking your email every day for messages from recruiters, especially if you're in the middle of a proactive job search. But what you're not thinking about is that when that recruiter emails you and says, "Hey, do you have some slots available?" they messaged 20 to 30 other candidates as well, all with the same skill sets as you. So when you respond and they never message you back, it's easy to think that they ghosted you. But in reality, you just weren't one of the first people to get back to them.

The people who respond to recruiters that same day, usually that same hour, are the ones who get the phone screens. And as soon as recruiters have three to five viable candidates, they're done. So you need to check your email several times a day and you need to respond quickly if you want to get on that recruiter's list.

Remember this tip when trying to talk to recruiters in your job search. Because really, that's the biggest hurdle—starting a conversation with a recruiter. Once you start talking to the recruiter and they get you in front of the hiring manager, the rest is history and you can get a great new job.

But those recruiters are the gatekeepers. They're the people that screen you out before anyone can see you. So you have to learn how to get them to talk to you. And it starts with you responding quickly to their messages.

Need more help with your job search?

I'd love it if you signed up for Work It Daily's Power Hour Event Subscription! I look forward to answering all your career questions in our next live event!

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