Love in Action How to Be the Best Long-Distance Teammate with Kevin Eikenberry
Mar 25, 2021
35:17
Kevin Eikenberry is the founder, owner, and Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. He is also a virtual speaker, trainer, author, and member of the Forbes Coaches Council. He is a world expert on thought leadership, development and learning, as well as the co-founder of the Remote Leadership Institute. His most recent book, The Long-Distance Teammate: Stay Engaged and Connected While Working Anywhere, is a practical guide to navigating the personal and interpersonal, growing the skills to be productive, and communicating effectively. He joins Marcel Schwantes to discuss his book and how to apply its principles to the virtual workplace.Marcel asks Kevin about the reason for writing his book. “There's a big difference between working from home and being an effective member of a team or a remote teammate,” Kevin remarks. “Thinking about it as ‘I work from home’ [is] a different mindset than ‘I’m part of a team that’s not next to me.’ Changing our mindset is a huge part of us being more successful, feeling more connected, and having less stress.” [5:04]Employees have a certain degree of responsibility for their own engagement, Kevin says. Leaders set the conditions, but at the end of the day it’s up to an employee to decide whether or not their work matters enough for them to say “I’m in.” Engagement is about a choice we make. [9:51]The three-P model that facilitates success as a remote teammate is: productivity, proactivity, and potential. Kevin briefly describes each component of the model and the roles they play. They are coachable attributes, he adds. Anyone can learn skills that promote these three P’s. [14:03]Marcel asks Kevin how leaders can motivate their remote teams. “Motivation is largely internal,” he replies. “[As a leader] you can persuade, influence and help your team choose [to be motivated]. One way to do this is to spend more time talking to them.” [18:19]“As leaders and team members, we need to grant each other some grace,” Marcel comments. “If stuff like a dog barking or a child interrup meetings, we should be understanding. I’m not saying granting people grace means that everything goes, but I think many people are overwhelmed because they’re worried about that stuff.” [23:25]“Sixty percent of social interactions happen at work and much of that has vanished due to recent events,” Kevin cites. “I believe as leaders we have a moral, ethical, and organizational responsibility to understand and recognize that, and while we aren’t psychologists, we can recognize that we have folks who are hurting. I believe if we apply some of the things we've been talking about today, we can have a positive impact and make it better.” [27:38]ResourcesKevin Eikenberry on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | FacebookKevinEikenberry.comThe Long-Distance Teammate: Stay Engaged and Connected While Working Anywhere