Article
How to Mentor and Move Forward During COVID-19 According to a Top Advisor
June 1, 2020 3 Minute Read
At the office, there’s often a natural flow of information between coworkers.
Whether it’s overhearing a team member’s phone call, or asking a question in the break room, communication can pass quickly and easily between team members without the hassle of scheduling yet another Zoom meeting.
For CBRE’s Michèle Boutet, ensuring that her team members stay connected is a top priority while working from home.
As a founding member of CBRE’s Montreal office and with over 29 years of experience under her belt, she takes her role as a mentor seriously. She’s committed to maintaining it despite the distance.
Here’s how she’s practicing communication and team building as we continue to work from home.
On Supporting Colleagues
“Our team has a lot of young people starting in the business, and when we’re at the office they learn by being around you, overhearing your process and your discussions.
That’s different when we’re all working remotely. We have our daily morning call, but we don’t have that same interaction throughout the day.
The team members know they can contact me at any time and I frequently check in with them to make sure they’re doing ok and have the information they need.”
On Listening to Clients
“I have many calls with my clients, not only about transactions but also to provide advice through this crisis.”
On Looking Ahead
“Right now, people are thinking in the short-term, mainly about how they can reduce expenses and generate revenue. If they can, they are avoiding long-term commitments.
We are constantly assessing the situation and having conversations about what future solutions could look like.
Before, many enterprises were reluctant to have employees work from home, and employees wanted to have an assigned desk. Today, I believe that they would trade their desk to work a couple of days a week from home.”
On Keeping a Routine
“I think it’s important to have a routine. It helps to keep me disciplined.
Every morning our team has a call at 8:30 am to talk about our files and the priorities of the day. It’s helping us stay focused and deliver results.”
On Getting Fresh Air
“Every morning I go for a walk and I try to go for another one at the end of the day. I think it’s very important to be outside and breath fresh air. It clears your mind and helps you take a step back.”
On Patience
“No one can predict the future. It is important to take things one day at a time, otherwise it can become overwhelming. We’re all in this together and we need to support each other.
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