Lockdown 2020 series: Nailed it? Celebrating Observer progress
Photo by Lemnaouer Ahmed on Reshot
At the end of each week, acknowledge the contribution your people are making. What does that mean for Observers?
On Monday, I suggested people in the Observer state are not quite ready for this change and probably feeling a bit sideswiped. The result is that they step back, and you might see fight, flight or freeze from them. Your job is to engage with them and lead with empathy.
On Wednesday, it was all about recognising the strengths an Observer approach brings, and making the most of those as you set up new ways of operating as a team.
Well, now it’s Friday, and amidst the various remote connection activities that are going on it’s a good time to check in with your Observers. Focus that check-in on the contribution they’ve made to the team this week.
Recognising a person’s contribution strengthens their sense of belonging because it sends signals that:
the effort they have made has had an impact on this group or team;
without their effort, the team wouldn’t have got to the same point; and
they are a meaningful part of the journey we’re on
Acknowledging Observers – recognise courage, identify impact
If your Observers have done one thing this week that they wouldn’t have done last week to adapt to this new way of working, that’s courage. They’ve taken the step off one, very secure, safe, comfortable platform, onto an unknown, possibly unstable one that screams unknown at them.
If it’s been a forced change, acknowledge that (“I know you didn’t have much choice, but you got in and went with it anyway”). If they’ve taken steps that are more discretionary, that’s the beginning of a shift in their state. They are starting to demonstrate more of the Participant style of behaviour – not entirely sure that this is okay yet, but will try something out and see if it works.
However you are having this conversation, recognise the steps they’ve taken, and – in a genuine and authentic way – share with them the impact those steps have had in helping you, their peers or the wider team adjust to this new way we are working.
What’s next?
Well, probably more of the same next week. This is a shift that happens over time, and moving into a different state is a highly vulnerable place. Expect that you’ll need to walk this pace with your Observers for a while, staying engaged and encouraging them to keep participating. As they see success coming from their efforts, they’ll build a habit of participation that means they shift their state. Rather than engage with them to understand what they need to know before they act, your relationship with them will evolve. It will become one of encouraging them to keep taking regular actions that build the right foundations for this new way of working.
My Observers still aren’t taking part
If your Observers are still showing signs of fight, flight or freeze, remember the two key questions – how ready are they and have they explored what’s happening enough to understand it?
It’s likely they need more information or to spend more time with you (or someone in the team) to test out their concerns. And of course, it may be that they just need time at the moment to secure the wellbeing of themselves or the people in their bubble. If your Observers aren’t participating as you hoped yet, keep focusing on engage:
Connect deeply with them to get below the surface of what’s going on
Demonstrate care by acknowledging their concerns and showing empathy
Help establish clarity by laying out what is certain (not much right now, but daily 1:1s might be a good start), and what your intent is for the person – probably something like you want to help them get the information they need to feel secure about making their contribution to the team.
What if I’m in the Observer state?
Well, you’re human. Even those who have been the coiled spring, waiting for remote working to become reality, will experience Observer status. You might have been dreaming of remote working, but probably not with everyone doing it all the time, probably not with your household members vying for bandwidth, and probably not with the very real threats to existence that some industries are facing.
And it’s all come with very little – if any – preparation for how you are expected to lead a team.
So you might be experiencing low readiness and the need to explore this new state and get your head around what to do. First up, this is completely valid. Just like you wouldn’t rush your team members out of this state, don’t rush yourself. I suggest you try:
Start with a focus on your own wellbeing. What habits do you need to start to help you feel healthy and in balance?
Connect with someone - have a conversation (or many) to explore what information you need to help you be an effective leader right now.
Take the time you need to get that information and use it to figure out what you’ll try next.
Connect with other leaders who are at a similar stage in their journey. If you’ve taken part in a leadership development programme in the past, reconnect with those people. Or you could use your LinkedIn network or existing groups in your organisation.
Be kind to yourself – remember that pretty much every person you interact with is just as unsure as you at the moment; that we’re all trying stuff out to see if it works. Nobody has all the answers and we’re all experiencing unreadiness and that sense of navigating in the dark.
That’s it for Friday. Have a great weekend – take good care of your bubble team and enjoy the boardgame / backyard cricket / breadmaking competition wherever you are.