In 2014 I was part a small group of work colleagues looking to put together an internal network for the leaders of the future. With this in mind, we started to attend industry events to get some ideas on how to proceed, this is when I came across the Young Managers Forum (YMF). 

After attending an event in the City of London I not only took away ideas, but a number of new contacts across the industry who focused on identifying young talent and supporting them through the next stages of their career. 

Carrying on with day to day working life, I kept up to date with the YMF and in 2017 I was fortunate enough to be put forward for the PFM Young Leader of the Year Award. It wasn’t just the awards process, but the support of individuals within the network which made me reflect and really focus on my future and how to drive it forwards. It really was a springboard for my personal and professional growth. 

After, I was invited to work on the committee. This was at a pivotal moment in the YMF history as they grew into the Emerging Workplace Leaders and set out a whole new agenda for the network, and also in mine, as I embarked on a brand new challenge. I really wanted to support the network which was so valuable to me, and support others in the same way. 

A few years on, I am very proud to announce that  I have been voted in as Co-Chair of the Emerging Workplace Leaders group alongside Bianca Angelico, a fellow committee member who has also been part of the network for a number of years. 

We follow in the footsteps of industry leaders who have achieved mountains of success, not just with the YMF/EWL, or through their own personal lives and careers, but across the whole industry. I am truly humbled to take the reigns and set the fresh, innovative strategy for the coming years alongside Bianca. 

We know that the network spans the UK, and that we are renowned for the partnered Young Manager of the Year Award with the PFM Awards, but after a difficult year of navigating through the turmoil that the pandemic has caused, we want to focus on communication and engagement to bring depth in member numbers and support as many leaders within the industry as possible. We want to create a network which becomes the go-to platform for people to connect, find support and also offer it. We have plans for small intimate events through to large scale conferences, we will continue to reach and connect with people through our very successful #ChatFM podcast and social media outlets, we aim to create mentorship programmes and partner with educational establishments and trusts to emphasise the importance of the FM Industry and we will strive to continue the successes of our predecessors in many other ways.

I am really looking forward to working with Bianca and the rest of the amazing committee and network members to achieve all of our goals!

Follow the Emerging Workplace Leaders on LinkedIn, Twitter and through www.emergingworkplace.com to keep up to date and learn more about our strategy for 2021. 

How many of you are sitting at your kitchen table or your sofa trying to work? Even if it means losing a spare bedroom or some garage space, the best thing you can do, is set yourself up a little home office. Trust me, it will make you feel much better, and your productivity and general mental health will increase 10-fold!

So what do you need to set up the ultimate home office, to improve your general well-being without spending a fortune? I’ve listed my Top 10 ‘must-have’ items below!

Desk – You need a solid desk with space to work; it needs to fit your laptop, screen etc. whilst still having the space to write

Chair – A decent chair is just a must! Make sure you have a chair where you can adjust teh height, back etc.

2nd Screen – Now that i’ve got one, i don’t know what i’d do with out it!

4k Webcam – You’re going to be in a lot of video meetings/conferences etc. Stop relying on your laptop cam and go for 4k Webcam so people can see you clearly!

Docking Station – Yes, you could just plug you’re laptop in using the standard charger – But…. a docking station not only charges your laptop without the need for a cable, it gives you lots of extra ports and manages all of your wires etc.

Wireless Tower Extension – USB Ports, Plugs and wireless charger for your phone all in one – Need I say more?

Notepad and Pen – As much as everything is going digital, a good ntepad and pen is an essential duo for your home set-up

A Plant – without going into the science – it makes you feel better and looks nice!

Coffee/Espresso Machine – as it says on the tin…

Work Colleagues – Your home office wouldn’t be complete without a friend!

As we navigated the pandemic in 2020 and the rise of digitisation and remote working started to conquer, it was clear that leaders needed to reflect on their own styles and make a decision on whether that would be effective whilst riding the waves of COVID-19.

Moving into 2021, although we aren’t out of the woods, we are now seeing a more steady approach to workplace and leadership; so based on my personal experiences within the sector of Facilities Management I wanted to share what I believe to be the key attributes to a solid leader throughout 2021 and beyond…

Self-Motivation and Accountability

Whether working from home, an office or still on the role, we are surrounded by less people. It is key you can give yourself discipline, find that motivation and hold yourself accountability to put in as much effort as possible.

Communication

I have said in a previous blog, that communication is the simple key to success of a true leader. Know your team, know your wider business colleagues, know your clients, and know yourself. Everyone is unique and require different levels of communication. 2021 is the year not only to use communication to improve your leadership, but to improve your communication through digitisation. Know your technology and how to use it effectively. Work on your presentation skills and expand your knowledge on how to engage an audience on-screen.

Empathy

Everyone has their own fight. These are very difficult times and they are not likely to get easier through 2021. So work on your ability to look at things from a different perspective, to understand other people’s needs and be aware, more than ever, of people’s feelings.

Trust

Just because we can’t see our team on a day to day basis, doesn’t mean you have to micro-manage. If you get your communication right, set clear goals and objectives; the next step is to really trust your team. More so, trust yourself that you have instilled the very characteristics we are talking about now (self-discipline, motivation, and accountability). Your team need to know that you have confidence in them and that you trust them. Take the leap…

Flexibility

I think we can all agree that over the past year, if we didn’t embrace change (on a week by week basis) and remained flexible, we wouldn’t have got very far! Be open to new ideas, new ways of working; and when it suddenly changes direction, just adapt, take it step by step and remain flexible!

Strategic Planning

As much as things are constantly changing, we are able to put down some strong high-level strategic plans. If this is done effectively, you can plan and prepare for most scenarios. This way, you can remove any elements of surprise; and if something does affect this strategy, simply adapt it.

Teamwork and Collaboration

I don’t mean this in the standard way of working within your own teams; that is just a given. I mean teamwork and collaboration within the whole of your organisation, with people or companies outside of your organisation, within the rest of your sector, and beyond.

As the pandemic hit and my industry had to react, everyone was coming to us for the answers; all of a sudden, we were the people who needed to know what to do and when to do it. The way in which people, business and sectors came together (competitors or not) to work out the best ways to keep this nation safe was simply outstanding. This is something which should never be lost in a good leader, the ability to be humble and ask for help when in crisis.

Creativity and Innovation

Digitation and IoT has advanced so quickly over the past year; this won’t stop and comes as a high demand from everyone. Don’t stand on the side-lines and follow the crowd. Be an innovator…lead the way.

Resilience and True Grit

Its been tough, it will continue to be tough, but people are look to you to remain calm, confident, and resilient in the face of adversity. Live up to that mantra and be the best you can be!

I’ve had so many conversations recently with people around remote working and the future of the workplace itself. I think it’s safe to say that the term ‘workplace’ is now all encompassing and working from home or ‘away from the office’ is a huge part of that.

Staying away from all of the facts and figures of what does or doesn’t work, or the arena around what you physically need, to be able to work productively from home; one of the key areas of working remotely that everyone is trying to master, is the art of engaging, and leading your teams whilst you are constantly sat behind a screen. You can never take away the human touch, the excitement of face to face conversation, or the need to sit in front of people when delivering key messages; but lets face it; even when we are past lockdown and social distancing, remote working is here to stay.

So how do we lead our teams when we haven’t seen them in person for months, or in some cases if you’ve had to recruit during this period, maybe not at all?

The secret to success simply lies in how you communicate.

First and foremost, you need to actively reflect on what type of leader you are; how did you manage previously and decide whether that can work remotely. How you communicate will be the sole element of productivity and your ability to create a high performing team. You may not want to change what type of leader you are, but you can certainly adapt the way in which this comes across to gain maximum benefit.

I think we can all agree that the spike in people working from home has led to many re-evaluating their work-life balance and focusing on themselves, their health and their well-being significantly more than before; so your team need to know that you trust them and that you don’t need to micro-manage them. Communicate regularly, but don’t feel like you need to constantly hit that call button to put your mind at ease to know they are working.  

Set goals and objectives and review on a regular basis. We all need to make sure that the work is getting done, that’s not a bad thing; but let’s set expectations from the outset. Well set goals become everyone’s guidance of remote working. These are your basis on how to communicate, how you can motivate and how you engage your team.

Saying that, also remember that every call doesn’t need an agenda. Previously, we would meet people for a coffee or catch up for 10 minutes whilst passing in the office; this type of interaction is what everyone is missing, although we can’t re-create it, we can ensure that the premise isn’t lost. Sometimes, an un-structured catch up or a quick hello will go down a treat and can be much more effective.

Set and diarise regular full team catch ups. This could be every day, every other day or once a week. Don’t make it mandatory (unless required) but let everyone know there is a forum for them to vent, catch up, or just listen to others so they don’t feel alone. These are a great way to really motivate and engage with your colleagues and improve morale.

Finally, have a conversation using your mobile phone once in a while! This one is a really odd concept, but whilst we are constantly sat on video calls there is nothing more refreshing that putting your phone against your ear and being able to move around the house or go for a short walk at the same time.

I recently written my views in an article for the Emerging Workplace Leaders on my reflections of 2020, and what I see for 2021 and the future. Take a few minutes to visit the website and check out the reflections from other industry leaders too! My thought are below…

The COVID-19 Pandemic has dominated peoples lives throughout 2020; reading other reflections and understanding what people have went thought (both negative and positive) did however remind me that regardless of the pandemic; everyone, whether you know it or not have their own fight. We may always not be able to help with the fight, but we can always be there to support.

Last year we saw our industry, our network, our nation, and our world come together. We learnt more about each other, the huge strides in digitisation gave us the ability to connect better and reflect on what’s important to each and every one of us.

For me, to truly reflect on 2020 I need to put the pandemic to one side. So many life-changing things happened last year which we must ensure we don’t forget; think about the Australian bush fires, the US wild-fires, accidental and non-accidental explosions and terrorism. Think about the Black Lives Matter movement, the controversial political situations in the UK and abroad, the emphasis on sustainability and the devastating impact around plastic pollution – the list just goes on!

2020 has made me realise that we can’t forget the whole picture. Every individual counts, everyone is going through something, everyone needs support, and everyone needs to continue to come together to tackle the issues that matter and bring hope, motivation and positivity. Personally, 2020 brought loss, grief, stress, anger and many other challenges; but I also got married, connected with family and friends and realised there is support in the people around you, and as long as you have that hope, motivation and positivity; you really can get through anything.

So, what do I see for the future?

I see that the pandemic will continue to affect us, I see political and financial shifts that will change our nation, and I see that people with personally and professional continue to struggle.

But what I also see, is the incredible efforts to stand as one, I see that when people have time to think and take action, we tackle huge life-changing issues that are too often forgotten, I see people networking and coming together, I see comradery and support for all who have helped us through the most challenging of times in our lives (especially within our industry), and I see that we will always get through the worst if we stand together.

What do I hope for 2021? That this will continue.