It’s no surprise to anyone that our world has changed. Notably, the way we conduct business and communicate. COVID-19 has undeniably adjusted how companies govern and the virus has been a source of stress for families – from unemployment to a fear of falling ill, emotions have stirred over these past four months.
As many companies looked to cut costs, headcount reduction was sizable. What’s more, teams were stretched thin regardless of an unchanged workload. When considering how to lead through a challenge, it is more amply clear than in previous taxing situations, how stress and limited resources can affect leadership. In observing team and management behavior, here are fundamental reminders for how to lead amidst challenge.
Mentorship.
If you have a mentor, you know it takes work. Not only from the recipient to be receptive, but from the mentor: to engage, listen, and offer advice. As a leader, we must realize that it is our turn to pay that mentorship forward and actively engage – answering hard questions and offering support in difficult times.
Self-Care.
I learned an important lesson during COVID: increased workload decreases the ability to govern effectively. This is why witnessing leaders through crises is a truth serum for their core self. Leaders are fully challenged when resources are scraggly, tensions are high, and economic fear ensues. In order to persevere, to remain constant, and to not spiral out of control, we must practice self-care. Daily meditation, exercise, and actively facing our own shortcomings is the path to ensuring that your team is cared for. Liken this to putting on an oxygen mask in a plane when needed; you cannot help others if you do not have an oxygen supply for yourself.
Recognition + Communication.
When a challenge is staring us in the face, we often focus on the task at hand, pushing personal feelings and emotional baggage aside. This, I argue, will only exacerbate discontentment, fuel hostility, and remove effective communication. The responsibility falls on you to pause, recognize your team for the work they are doing, and not take a back seat to communication. Easier said than done, I get it. But make an active decision, daily, to hear your team and resist the urge to put tasks before relationships, even if your day-to-day workload has increased exponentially.