Leading an Investigative Team During a Pandemic
The current environment may be temporary, but solid investigative processes will serve you well long after the pandemic is over.
Conducting a good investigation and leading a strong investigative team is challenging at the best of times, but it is extremely challenging during a pandemic. The pandemic adds new levels of stress and forces new ways of conducting investigations.
It requires a new way of looking at things, a new way of conducting business, a shift in investigative methods, a change in how we organize our day and in how we communicate with each other. To add to this, most of these tasks may have to be done remotely. So, how can you most effectively manage an investigative team to ensure the best results?
The key to good leadership is careful planning
Planning your investigation out before you start gets your team on the same page and keeps them accountable, which is a must if team members are working remotely. Start writing yours using our free investigation plan template.
First, it will require strong leadership with transparency and consistent communication. Your team members need to feel comfortable and secure during these unprecedented times. This requires you to think creatively and to act with integrity, especially if you are managing a team that is working remotely.
While this adds new challenges to your job leading the team, here are some tips that may help you to navigate this new normal.
Know Your Leadership Style
It is important that you understand your leadership style and that you can react accordingly during difficult situations. Stick to your style and don’t make any drastic changes at this time.
Pick Your Investigative Team Carefully
It’s your job to make sure your team has members who work well together, understand the investigative process and know how to accomplish the goals of the investigation.
RELATED: Assembling an Investigation Team
Know Your Team Members
This is not the time to begin with new, unproven team members. Every team is different, so you should know your team on a personal level and be confident in their work ethics and work styles. Know which members need more supervision and which members can work well on their own.
Your team members may need additional motivation since many may be working remotely. If you instill enthusiasm, it will help them to stay motivated.
Stay Positive
Investigations can be long and often frustrating. Maintaining a positive attitude, even when the pace is slow, is important to success.
Communicate Effectively
Always make sure that your team knows exactly what your expectations are for the investigation. Checking in on a regular basis via phone call or video conference can put everyone on the same page.
RELATED: How to Conduct a Corporate Investigation During a Pandemic
Encourage Feedback
Schedule one-on-one time with team members to discuss any concerns, questions and ideas they may have.
These tips may help you keep your team on track and on time. And while this pandemic is temporary, many of the ideas are sustainable and may prove helpful for managing your team, even after the pandemic is over.