Prior to COVID-19, my firm was already using Zoom as a communication tool for our phone system and for videoconference calls across our six locations. We had administrative staff in every location, so we were used to seeing each other on a screen when we came together as a large group for our monthly team meetings. As our firm’s administration team manager, I was flying to our various locations to meet with our administrative staff face-to-face when possible. However, managing a team during a pandemic, where everything changed for everyone, created new challenges. In an instant, I needed to change how I managed the team including how we communicated with each other, how we partnered together to best serve our firm, and how I needed to advocate for them in new ways.

It quickly became evident that our administration team was going to be at the core of how our firm quickly moved to a work-from-home model effectively and efficiently. Our leadership was meeting daily, and I was in those meetings to take minutes, so I had access to pieces of information that could be shared with our administration team. I started by sending daily emails to the team about “what’s new for the day” as leadership was trying to figure out all the nuances of working from home. I wanted to make sure our team had as much information as possible because I knew their offices and teams were going to go first to them looking for answers. To help lift morale through all the multiple changes, I made sure to thank them for their hard work and perseverance through it all, as well including a funny meme or video at the end of each email.

We also knew that because decisions were being made daily, and that there was a lot of information to take in, we needed a single place to put all of it and communicate about it in one place. We began using Microsoft Teams immediately, sharing posts to the whole group (eliminating back and forth emails), posting files for all to see and edit in one place, and developed a Wiki of resources, instructions, and information for quick reference. We continue to use our Teams site today, adding new content and sharing best practices with each other outside of our meetings.

Now that we were even more physically distanced from each other it became even more critical to meet more often. We went from meeting as a large group on a monthly basis to meeting weekly. During these meetings we focus on what we have going on that week, who needs assistance, news from leadership, changes in policy, and any new software tips. We also started meeting weekly as small groups by office location. Our small group meetings are more informal where we focus on getting to know each other better and learning how we can support each other not only with work tasks and responsibilities, but also through the emotions of working in a pandemic.

I have found that by meeting more often, our team feels more connected and stronger. The challenges have not gone away and are often the same challenges we would still face if we were back in our offices, but we have had an opportunity to connect on a more personal level which has helped increase the level of trust we share, and our collective positive spirit works to lift each other up even when things in our world appear so negative at times.

By connecting and meeting more, I have learned more about our individual team members – what they like, don’t like, what is hard for them, what they are great at, what do they value, where do they want to go in their career, and much more. While I knew some of these things prior to COVID-19, gathering this information has been more critical as we are working to move away from a location-based support model to a strengths-based model. I want to be able to assign our team members to tasks and projects based on their knowledge, skills and passions. While this isn’t always possible due to availability and workloads, this enables our team to be more flexible and offer the best service possible for the task or project at hand.

Working from home and knowing our team members abilities also opens doors for our team members to work with other staff in other locations, including other leaders that they don’t regularly support. It provides them with opportunities to develop new skills, work on different project types, and most importantly, shine bright.

We recently needed to update a spreadsheet that contained over 2,000 line items by reviewing the corresponding changes on several floor plans. Over the course of a week, we had about seven team members working on it to finish it up. Not only were we able to finish the task much faster than if one person had been assigned to complete it, but we were able to share our tips and even bond over the mutual frustration with a difficult task. It proved to us and other staff that we are a strong team that is willing to work hard together to get the job done well, all while doing it virtually from six different offices at the same time.

I have also noticed the increased need in my abilities to advocate for our team and individual team members. I am asking myself the following questions on a regular basis now:

• Are they being asked to do something they shouldn’t be doing?
• Are they burned out?
• Are they struggling with a task or assignment?

As their manager, I have needed to learn how to read the signs of an employee struggling or in distress, and then follow up with them to see how I can be a resource, advocate or sounding board to support them. Sometimes, employees are fearful to speak up about concerns and need someone to simply ask them how they are doing or express concern in a sincere way. Our teams are tired, stressed and overwhelmed more than ever now. While we cannot solve all problems, we can make sure our team members know we can be trusted to listen to them, care about them as a person, and if needed speak on their behalf and in their best interest to make it better wherever possible.

Managing a remote team is no easy task, but implementing some key practices for communication, partnering with other team members, and advocacy will enable your team to work well and positively even in a pandemic. What are some of the successful ways you are managing your remote team during this time? Share them in the comment box below.

Danika Larson, CDFA is the Administration Team Manager at Cuningham Architecture Group in Minneapolis, MN.

She currently serves as the National Education Services Committee Chair for the 2020-2021 term.

Well it’s Monday morning. I’m back in the office after having taken last week off. I have had this vacation planned for over a year – well before COVID-19 hit for sure! There have been many articles and advertisements lately about resources available during these challenging times. Keeping yourself mentally “ok” is not just a good thing to do – it’s critical! One way to keep yourself mentally ok is to take some time off. I know many of us are second guessing taking vacation time – “Will my job be ok if I am gone for a week, or even a few days?” Of course, there is the “FOMO” (Fear of Missing out) syndrome from being out of touch with everything going on in the office. I am here to tell you that things survived just fine while I was away! Indeed, my email inbox is much fuller than it was before I left, but I am doing ok getting caught up! The best thing about getting back is that I feel refreshed, re-invigorated, and ready to tackle whatever comes next. This uncertainty we are living with looks like it will be with us for a while, so gearing up for the next few months will be important.

Have you taken a break from work during this crazy pandemic? If you are at all able to, I would highly encourage you to take a few days for a mental health break. Even if you are not able to physically go somewhere, there are so many ways you can get away while you are still at home. (You know, the old “stay-cation”.) Sleep in a few extra hours on those days; have an extra cup of coffee or tea those mornings; read a book you’ve always been meaning to get to; take some extra time in the garden; use some of your delicious vegetables from your garden on a great recipe you’ve been meaning to try – salsa? Soup? Pie? Zucchini Bread?

The most important bit of advice I can leave you with is…cut yourself off from work as much as you possibly can during your time away!! It is so worth it to come back with a refreshed attitude towards your work life! You will end up being productive in ways you never imagined you could!! And…you will be able to get caught up soon enough! For many, the end of Summer and Early Fall are favorite times of the year. Maybe it’s your favorite too!

What are some tips you might have for getting away to refresh yourself? I’d love to know them! Share them in the comment box below.

Meanwhile, here are a few pics from my vacation with my family last week in Crosslake, Minnesota on Trout Lake.

 Marie Tomala, CDFA is an Associate with Cuningham Group Architecture in Minneapolis, MN.

She serves as the SDA National President-Elect for the 2020-2021 term.

How’s everyone’s motivation level?  I’ll be honest, mine’s low.  Our office was one of the few that never closed or did remote working, so work hasn’t really changed for me.  I just keep plugging along, but for the first time in forever, I don’t have that “fire in my belly” as my former boss liked to say.  There are so many things on my list that I want to do (and I actually do mean here at the office lol), but just can’t make myself get around to starting them.  I can totally be a procrastinator by nature, and I thought I had broken that habit, but it seems to be back in full force. 

I’ve made lists of things that seem like I’d be inspired to start them but find that I end up pushing them to the side just to complete the regular stuff.  I find that my job/career is always just a cycle.  Every week/month contains the exact same conflicts and opportunities.  For me, it’s basically all financial and HR issues.  I despise HR issues.  I despise HR.  Y’all know what I’m talking about, right?  Don’t you get tired of employees coming into your office and complaining about what they don’t have?  Or someone wants to say something but fears that they might be overheard and taken out of context, so they come to your office to vent it out. Then you get to decide if it’s really venting or is it something that needs to be handled.

And please don’t get me started on personal life.  I honestly thought with COVID going on that it would have more time to myself, and live the life I’ve always dreamed about, you know, as a hermit!  Then I remembered I had parents, and they need all kinds of assistance since they can’t go out.  Fortunately, I have a brother who’s just as involved with them as I am.  But still I find that I have to work on finding time for myself, my husband, and of course Oakie.  It’s a balance I’m constantly working on these days.  And for my coworkers and friends, they have to add their children to that list.  It’s a wonder anyone has any motivation!

So that got me to thinking - do we lose motivation because we run at full speed for so long, and then we just crash and burn?  I guess then it becomes a matter of gassing up the tank or in some cases, maybe we need a new car to start over.  But how do you go about deciding which you are?  For me, I’ve had to take a long look at the pros and cons of my career.  There are tons more pros than cons, so it was easy for me to know that I need to work on filling my tank.  I find that I’ve been cheap in doing so.  Some days I only put about $5 in, and you know what?  It doesn’t last long.  I’m working on filling the entire tank at one time with the premium gas and speeding off.  I visualize that a lot.  It really does make me laugh out loud when I do.   And that’s really helped in motivating myself.  My next big step is to find someone at the office who can help hold me accountable without it being a stress to them.  It’s not that I need someone to check on me, it’s the idea that someone could at any time ask where I’m at on my list of creations.  And that’s what I want to be held accountable for – the things that I want to create to help others in my firm and SDA.  The day to day will handle itself, and the rest will fall into place as I go.  Here’s to filling the tanks and speeding on down the highway!

What are some ways that you are filling your motivational tank? Share them in the comment box below.

Susan Lankey, CDFA is the Office Manager for DJG, Inc. in Williamsburg, Virginia.

She is a Past National President for SDA.