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This is the 1st article in a series that will cover essential business principles for successfully leading a virtual professional services firm. Many organizations continue to benefit from the flexibility that comes with operating virtually. However, there are unique challenges that require strategic leadership and a keen understanding of how to manage a fully remote team.
This series will delve into practical strategies and actionable solutions that foster growth of a virtual services firm by turning challenges into opportunities and paving the way to success.
A leader’s strength is not in their knowledge alone but in their ability to listen and learn from those around them.
No one has all the answers. “The Farmer and the Oracle,” a parable in Aesop’s Fables (various editions) teaches that simple truth. As the story goes, a farmer is struggling with poor harvests and seeks consultation from the local oracle. The oracle does not provide agricultural counsel, but instead offers sage advice -- gather insights from those who work alongside you. The farmer reached out to neighbors and fellow farmers, asking about their experiences and methods. After implementing their ideas, fortunes turned around and the next harvest was bountiful. The farmer Listened to others, Learned from them, took Action, and achieved Success.
What I call the “Listen, Learn, Let’s Go” principle has been Priority #1 for me when leading business units, consulting groups, and companies in both physical and virtual environments. I leaned in even harder on this principle at virtual professional services firms. Why? Because the greatest barrier to success for a remote organization is potential lack of collective engagement. Smooth communication is just harder to achieve, and I always want the team to know that every bit of our success is due to our collective performance. It is We…always.
An example of how I applied the “Listen, Learn, Let’s Go” principle occurred at different times in my career when I was asked to lead two professional services firms. One was forced to go virtual by the pandemic and one has always been a remote company. Right out of the gate at both places, I initiated plans to make the companies better and stronger on several fronts to pave the way to healthy growth. We were willing to make significant tactical and strategic changes. I had my own thoughts and ideas, but I wanted and needed more.
It was a new starting line, and I started with “Listen, Learn, Let’s Go.”
The first step was easy. I pulled out the roster and began setting up calls with each member of the company. To complete all the calls in a timely manner, I set a goal of four 30-minute calls per day. It took weeks to complete the conversations, and those weeks are among the best in terms of time well spent.
The subject line must be meaningful, something like: Discuss your Hopes and Expectations for Our Company
Next, something astounding happened. I was caught off guard by the numerous effusive thank you emails received BEFORE the first call. Like watching clowns getting out of a Volkswagen at the circus, just when I was sure my inbox showed the last thank you email, another would pop up out of nowhere. Many replies went something like this:
“I really appreciate you taking the time to talk and give my input.”
“This is cool. A lot of us are thankful and like what you are doing.”
“I have never had a call like this with anyone from leadership before. It is nice that you want to hear what we think.”
Comments like those made me even more motivated to listen, learn, and be at the top of my game on each call. Enthusiasm is like a contagious spark that ignites energy. LET’S GO!
Every call started with pleasantries and small talk about work. After that, I focused on just a few open-ended questions to generate thoughts and views from the perspective of the team members. I incorporated the same key questions in every conversation, regardless of position and level in the company. Follow-up probing would differ based on the flow of discussion, but it was critical not to get de-railed from the intention to flush out barriers to success and gather ideas.
The aspirations for each call were to invite thoughtful responses, understand the why’s, and ensure each person knew they were being included in the company’s evolution and growth.
What are some specific challenges you see day-to-day that you hope can be addressed to help you and your team?
What changes or improvements would have a positive impact on our company?
How can we change the way we practice or innovate to be better?
Keeping the number of hard-hitting questions to a few maximizes time efficiency and offers the following benefits:
• Enables both parties to dive deeper into the exploration of ideas
• Keeps the discussion clear and focused, and encourages specificity
• Fosters full attention to each other and active listening, building trust and mutual respect
First, we consolidated and analyzed the collection of issues to address. Some of the challenges brought to the forefront included:
• Felt siloed and needed more interaction and knowledge exchange
• Spent too much time on non-essential tasks at the expense of critical ones
• Perceived internal inequities (bonuses, promotions)
• Not exposed to internal innovations enough to fully understand them
• Wanted greater professional development and personal growth
Quickly addressing challenges like these quickly improves morale and positively drives the company culture.
Next, we organized and prioritized all the ideas generated across the individual interactions. Some included strategies to:
• Create opportunities for cross-team communication and collaboration
• Re-examine division of labor across departments and refine accordingly
• Add a new support dept so others can increase time spent on deliverables
• Incorporate discussions about company offerings across internal meetings
• Revise the incentive compensation to be more equitable and transparent
It did not stop there. There was plenty of discussion with team members about how to achieve growth. Many specific ideas were raised that directly contributed to the implementation of longer-term strategic imperatives, including:
• Expanding company offerings that fit with our mission and positioning
• Hiring new and unique talent to broaden the company’s expertise
• New marketing strategies leading to greater reach and impact
• Greater cohesiveness between internal teams and Business Development
Like the outcome in “The Farmer and the Oracle,” positive productive changes were quickly implemented and new pathways to success were uncovered.
To me, the best thing that happens when applying the “Listen, Learn, Let’s Go” principle is experiencing firsthand what and how much individuals offer to contribute to the success of the organization. It is a thrill to recognize and celebrate the team with every new initiative and every success.
