An article on the management-issues.com website describes what is meant by managers hiding. Here are some examples:
- Not responding to an e-mail until the next morning (with the excuse that they hadn't chance to deal with it the day before).
- Checking who is calling, then just deciding not to answer and letting the caller go to voicemail instead.
- Preferring to send an attachment (be it a PowerPoint presentation or a memo) and hoping for the best, even if it is obvious that a better option would be to talk to the person directly, taking the time to ensure buy-in and avoid potential misunderstandings.
- Sending the Out of Office message via e-mail or chat after someone has requested information or clarification. Of course, the manager wasn’t really out of office but just wanted to gain time.
- Sharing bad news only when there is a good chance the recipient won’t see it immediately – often thanks to time zones.
- Sending an e-mail reprimanding someone, when it would be better to have an in-depth personal conversation. Trying to save time is a poor excuse in this case.
- Scheduling an all-hands teleconference, when confidential small-group discussions would be more appropriate. It is generally easier for people to ask awkward questions if there is more space and time for them.
Managers working remotely are not bad or lazy people; however, they can sometimes be tired and overworked. That is only human. But they should make sure that communication technology does not become part of the problem. Leaders need to be proactive and available to their team. They shouldn’t avoid them unnecessarily, even if sometimes it can be hard.
-jk-