The freedom of not fearing failure
Words by Domenica Di Lieto
A key element of leadership and flexible working is giving staff the resources and support they need to be autonomous so that they can get on with what they are good at.
But working independently so much of the time places great responsibility on the individual. As a result, fear of failure can become a significant problem.
Fear of failure creates inertia, anxiety, and mistakes may go unreported. It is therefore important staff know they should not be afraid of failure.
If they need help, they should understand they will not be judged. That if things do go wrong, they will be supported.
Above all, failure should be embraced as the best opportunity to learn, improve and move forward with a greater amounts of knowledge and experience that allows people to grow and be better prepared for the future.
The importance of mentoring
I have used mentors to successfully navigate a wide of very different challenges, and not only that, mentors can be one of the great stress relievers that help establish a positive mindset. Mentoring is not just for senior executives. It can apply to everyone.
Mentoring can be particularly useful for women who managers because leadership guides, books and courses are nearly always produced with a male perspective. A female mentor that has been there and done it is far more useful.
True, no entrepreneur or business CEO is confronted by the exact specific scenario of another. But there are so many businesses, of so many sizes, going through so many stages of development that inevitably others have endured and mastered very similar challenges. These people are potential mentors, and they can transform the lives and fortunes of others.
Information sharing and learning events
An internal information programme can be incredibly valuable. We have an information sharing and learning event every week on Thursday mornings. Everyone is invited to take it in turns to present to the group on new media developments, analyses of successful campaigns, market research reports, sector and consumer updates, and anything unusual, interesting or useful that could improve our practices and performance. A screenshare format is used, and the sessions are always lively, and we learn a lot, plus it reinforces company community.
Project management software essential for flexible working
With remote working to any degree, managing resources and output is paramount.
Project management software and use of timesheets allows an at a glance view of capacity, so work can be distributed fairly. It also identifies when individuals work longer hours than is desirable. Long working days should be the exception, and not slide into becoming a fixture.
Management software and timesheets are essential for monitoring productivity and welfare, but it lacks ‘human intelligence’, the ability of one person to understand how another is. For this reason, I do constant rounds of all staff.
Domenica Di Lieto is the CEO of planning and marketing consultancy, Emerging Communications.
