Use CLARC to Lead the Change to Working Remotely

Managers need to fulfill five key roles to effectively lead change: Communicator, When applying any of the tactics in this list, avoid the tendency to rely
Liaison, Advocate, Resistance Manager and Coach (CLARC). Review the primarily on email and instant messaging when interacting with your team.
tactics listed below for each of the five key roles and highlight those you are During a period of change and particularly with remote workers, it’s
or should be using. You can also identify additional tactics that you believe essential for you to have regular video or voice chats with your team to
would be helpful for your team. maintain strong connections and build a sense of community.

CLARC Role Which Tactics Can/Should You Use With Your Team? What Additional Tactics Would Be Helpful?

Lead a 10 to 15-minute daily video huddle to keep your team connected and
allow people to surface and discuss any potential problems.
Provide repetitive communication of the business reasons for the change and
the risks of not changing.
As recommendations evolve, communicate what they mean specifically for the
employees who report to you. Translate the organizational guidelines into the
actions they need to take.
Communicator Provide your team with ready access to business information, such as external
drivers of the change.
Surface and address rumors―don’t let them get out of control.

Be deliberate in asking your team to share issues or problems that impact their
effectiveness in working remotely.
Keep track of common problems, so you can report issues affecting your entire
team and help find broader solutions.
If there are actions your organization can take to address technology needs or
systemic areas of support necessary to make remote working more effective,
Liaison share the suggestions from your team with your leadership.

Emphasizing your organization’s mission, vision and values becomes even

more critical during difficult times. As a leader, you are an advocate for the
organization’s change strategy.
Keep your team calm and focused on moving the business forward, even as
ways of working are evolving.
Help employees identify the personal benefits of the change (WIIFM or What’s
In It For Me?).
Acknowledge that there are both losses and opportunities associated with the
change. Be deliberate about surfacing both in your conversations with team
Advocate members.
Encourage your employees to practice self-care, take advantage of the resources
available, and be flexible. They need to hear from you that working remotely will
look and feel different and it’s OK to be anxious about the changes.

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Use CLARC to Lead the Change to Working Remotely

CLARC Role Which Tactics Can/Should You Use With Your Team? What Additional Tactics Would Be Helpful?

Don’t be surprised or upset when you encounter resistance. Acknowledge that

working remotely will be uncomfortable for some people because it represents
a significant disruption to their established work patterns and habits.
Demonstrate empathy and ask questions to get at the root cause of the
resistance you are observing.
More specifically, have one-on-one conversations with every employee to
identify any barriers that are negatively affecting their ability to work
productively. Typical barriers might include lack of appropriate technology,
Resistance Manager inadequate workspace at home, or lack of childcare. Help your team find
solutions to address any obstacles they are encountering.
Make sure you celebrate both individual and collective successes in the
transition to working remotely. Celebrating successes will help build confidence
and resilience in dealing with change.

Be a role model for how to behave and work in the new environment.
Some of your employees will be balancing unprecedented home and work
responsibility. Reassure them that you will help them find workable solutions.
Start by helping them identify the highest-priority work and the work that can be
adjusted or de-prioritized.
Some members of your team will need to develop new skills or improve existing
skills to be effective at working remotely. Help each of them identify the skills,
Coach habits or practices they must develop. Support them to access any training
they need.
Conduct frequent check-ins to identify and address ongoing or emerging
individual needs quickly, maintain connection and trust, and foster a sense
of community.

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