Good lessons learned

Home is where the heart is. It is a lovely line I would not want to forget. But the pandemic has changed the way we work, and perhaps it has even changed the way we define home. Today, some pundits would say that “home is where the WiFi connects automatically.”

Today, the home has become the hub where our personal, professional, entertainment, dining, shopping, and leisure occur. While some people suffer from cabin fever, others have discovered a brand new way to live in a new environment. Now that mass vaccinations are taking place, there is this light at the end of the tunnel. Clients have begun to invite me to give talks and training on transitioning from remote work to going back to their physical offices. They understand that there is a transition process, and the people cannot just be mandated to return without proper physical, psychological and emotional support.

It would be good to conduct an introspection and consider the valuable lessons we have experienced while doing remote work, that we should not lose as we transition into the new environment. We have had positive experiences while doing 100 percent work from home, and it would be good to bring them with us no matter what the environment would be.

1. Transparency and honesty

The pandemic has taught us a lesson on honesty and transparency, which pre-COVID or in past “normal” times cannot be summarized in a famous line. This often-quoted line became the title of one of the most-viewed K-drama series at the onset of the lockdown: “It’s Okay Not To Be Okay!” Before, it was considered a “weakness” for anyone to admit to their boss that they are not okay and are not well. Now it has become clear that they are not alone in the situation, and asking for help is not a weakness, but an act of honesty and courage. To their surprise, many leaders are more than willing to help because the circumstance has forced them to understand.

2. Empathy management

There is lesser ego and bosses, including the “difficult” ones. They have been mandated to show compassion and care, while some of them faked care initially because they have been conditioned and erroneously trained. Such leadership meant being tough and solely interested in performance and results; the pandemic has been one of the best “on-the-job” training to realize that they need to care for their people and not just on their deliverables.

3. Well-being and wellness

I have never delivered so many webinars and talks on “wellness” as I have experienced during the pandemic. We now appreciate the value and importance of health and wellness.

4. More forgiving

There was a time when you and I were judged by our clothes and the things we bring. Women “feel” each other by the bags they carry and the shoes they wear. Men evaluate each other by the watches on their wrists and the cars they drive. Today, you and I are judged by the virtual backgrounds we use in our Zoom screens. So when you are in the middle of a very important video conference with all your bosses attending, and your dog barks or your baby cries, and your half-naked older brother passes by behind your back on his way to the bathroom, we no longer judge each other. We have become vulnerable, and we are more forgiving. This kind of vulnerability builds more trust and connection. It enables leaders to develop deeper relationships with the team.

5. Lesser bureaucracy

Never has there been a time when ideas flow faster than what we have witnessed and experienced during the pandemic. Lesser silo-thinking, lesser ego, and lesser bureaucracy,  which we hope will continue to be the norm once we go back to the physical office or enjoy a hybrid model of work culture in the new reality.

6. Fast adaptation to technology

We discovered that we can learn fast. Even senior citizens, who used to claim that digital tech is only for the young, have found the joy of doing “TikTok” and are consuming a lot of bandwidth to the dismay of the younger ones doing work, and the youngest ones doing online education.

These are but a few of the good experiences and lessons we have learned during the pandemic. It has proven the validity of the phrase: “Do not waste the crisis.” I hope the virus would go away, but these positive things will stay.

(Francis Kong’s highly acclaimed Level Up Leadership Master Class online runs from Aug. 25 to 27. Develop your leadership skills that translate into personal, career, and business growth. For inquiries and reservations, contact April at +63928-559-1798 or and for more information, visit www.levelupleadership.ph)