For many managers, the reduction in personal proximity is the most obvious and at the same time the biggest problem of virtual working. In most cases, this is not even due to a reduced frequency of contact, as face-to-face meetings and group discussions are being replaced by virtual formats. A key reason is that a large part of our perception of people is subconscious, meaning that we perceive facial expressions, gestures, posture, handshakes, movements and noises through our senses and interpret them subconsciously. These perceptions are made more difficult via the screen and are completely eliminated when the camera and sound are switched off. The virtual meeting thus becomes a purely functional exchange of information. We almost no longer notice whether the other person is doing well or badly, whether happiness or worries are dominating the day. The technical medium therefore acts as a strong filter for sensory perception.

Coordination dates required

In a mirror image, however, the virtual working world also makes it more difficult for employees to contact their superiors. In the face-to-face world, it was much easier to quickly clarify issues by walking to the other workstation, passing them in the corridor or having lunch together. Now, a coordination appointment has to be set for this, which is not so easy with the usually overcrowded calendars. The previously informal exchange thus becomes a formalized coordination with an additional emotional hurdle. As a result, trust in the respective manager suffers. Trust-building factors such as credibility, reliability or likeability are based on personal experience and subconscious perception over a longer period of time.

Successful in the New Normal

As a result, managers must specifically address both levels of interaction with employees. These are both the factual level with information, coordination and decisions as well as the emotional level with personal closeness, trust and motivation. For the factual level, for example, the weekly jour fixes transferred from the face-to-face world are not enough. They must be supplemented by further opportunities for rapid exchange. However, coordination between those involved regarding the selection of communication channels and response times is particularly critical here. Uncontrolled communication via a multitude of channels will not solve any problems, but will lead to new ones.

Maintaining relationships

Alternatives must also be found for informal personal exchanges. It is most effective to hold personal dailies or to speak informally several times a week. This can serve as a yardstick for the "right" frequency in the face-to-face world. In Remote, it should not be lower, but rather higher. It may also help to call briefly, as the telephone represents a change of media for many people today and can therefore emphasize the importance for the caller.

In order to be successful in this "new normal", managers need to realign themselves and manage themselves more intensively, beyond tools and technology. In particular, they need to reflect on and adapt their relationships with employees and teams. Interpersonal, more emotional issues and new questions of self-management will therefore characterize the challenges of leadership reality. What these topics have in common is that nothing happens automatically, but must be actively shaped. Only then can the "new normal" become a "better normal" for the individual manager.

10 success factors for creating proximity and trust

1. Good leadership means leading. Hoping for the self-organization of the group and the intrinsic motivation of the individual is usually not a good strategy for success.
2. Accept that virtual leadership initially means a different kind of leadership.
3. The virtualization of existing actions will not lead to success.
4. Think of leadership first and technology second. Tools only mean technology, they are neither an excuse for failure nor the central cause of success.
5. Actively clarify the use of communication channels. Discuss with your team what works best for everyone. More does not usually mean better.
6. Closeness and trust do not happen by chance. Work in parallel on factual and emotional exchanges with your team.
7. Limit the number of participants in virtual meetings. With more than 8 participants, closeness and in-depth personal exchange become almost impossible.
8. Each participant has an active part in every virtual meeting. Limit the speaking time of each individual. Ask each individual for their own opinion. Address the participants by name.
9. Keep the level of activity in the group high. Always use cameras in all meetings. Take a 15-minute break per 1-hour virtual meeting. Use these for relaxation or short personal dialog.
10. Seek bilateral exchanges with your employees at least once a week. Actively look for opportunities or ask employees for their assessments. Knowing about an employee's well-being is the responsibility of the manager, not the responsibility of the employee.
11. Start with an honest inventory. Only if you know and prioritize the most important issues can you improve leadership in your team in a targeted manner.

The author

Friedemann Derndinger gained extensive experience as a manager as a board member of an MDAX company, as a consultant and partner at one of the world's leading management consultancies and as the founder of his own consulting and coaching company before becoming a coach and trainer. Today he is an Associate Partner at Leadership Choices and works primarily in the areas of executive coaching and leadership development. His thematic focus there is particularly on virtual leadership, digital transformation, leadership in networks and organizational change.