How To Demonstrate Leadership Qualities When Your Work From Home

While some people worked from home before 2020, everything shifted after the pandemic. That first year had many people working entirely from home, even if it’s something they had never considered.

Office workers started to work remotely. Businesses of all kinds, whether they sold men’s plain wedding bands or car batteries, focused on their e-commerce shops. While things have somewhat gone back to normal, many employees found they enjoyed working from home at least some of the time.

As working from home has continued to gain popularity, the landscape of workplace culture has shifted in many ways. If you're looking to advance in your career, you'll want to show you have leadership skills that make you deserving of managerial or upper-level positions.

This may interest you: 5 Ways to Increase Productivity When Working From Home

But, when you're working remotely, demonstrating these traits looks different than working on-site. After all, you can't interact in person as often, and it's more challenging to show how hard you work.

However, there are still ways to express your drive and demonstrate leadership skills. Here are some tips for showing your ability to lead when you work from home.

Tip 1: Engage With Your Team To Build Relationships

Relationships and team building at work will look different when you're not on-site together. However, you can still demonstrate you are engaged in the people you work with and in your customers.

You may have to adjust how you build these relationships. Ensure that you participate actively in any team meetings and in work channels. And, when you can, attend any in-person events. People will appreciate you if you are genuine, so try to find ways to connect with others as people, not just to get ahead at work.

Tip 2: Be Adaptable

When thinking about remote leadership skills, adaptability is near the top of the list. Remote work requires creative thinking and problem-solving. And, if you can show you are a quick thinker who can adapt to whatever is thrown your way, you'll be seen as a leader by others around you. Most likely, your boss or manager will notice your willingness to go with the flow and tackle any challenge.

Supplementary reading: 3 Big Changes To Work

Tip 3: Focus On Your Communication Skills

Regardless of your job or role, communication skills are vital. Being a good communicator is one of the most essential leadership attributes. When working from home, honing these abilities becomes even more critical.

Miscommunication can abound when texting or emailing, so be sure to be precise with your language. Compassion also goes a long way. Practice sharing ideas and thoughts with conciseness and kindness.

man in blue and white plaid shirt using macbook pro

When possible, communication through video calls can help lower the risk of miscommunication. So, if there is a problem or a big project coming up, ensure everyone is on the same page through a Zoom call or something similar.

Explore: 7 Tips to Using Chat Apps More Effectively at Work

Tip 4: Work On Positivity

Because communication is more challenging when people aren't face-to-face, being positive is extra important in a remote setting. Even well-meaning jokes can come across wrong over text messaging, so try to have an upbeat approach when talking to anyone at work.

Additional reading: 6 Ways To Boost Employee Morale And Motivation

This doesn't mean you can't have boundaries or show your personality but know that others can't read your tone in a written message.

Adapt, Communicate, And Thrive When Working From Home

As you continue to thrive and adapt to your remote job, you'll find ways to demonstrate your leadership abilities. With these four tips in mind, you can continue to thrive and reach your career goals.