11 Ways to Emerge from COVID19 as a TRUE Leader
During past crises in history, not all organizations (and whole societies) have been equally prepared. Some do great, others just backslide to old practices. This one is no different.
A weak manager fails to stop, reflect upon, and learn from a crisis.
No matter what stage you are at in your managerial career – and even older dogs can learn new tricks - the following pages will provide you with some essential reminders and crucial tips.
You have an opportunity to learn, grow and emerge from COVID19 as a TRUE Leader!
Fear. Frustration. Confusion. Uncertainty.
Have you either heard someone else say this, or uttered those words yourself, over the last few months? The events of COVID19 are unprecedented in our lifetime. And like an earthquake, there continues to be after shocks.
Unlike anything we have seen since 1918, the coronavirus has forced organizations to look inward and consider the safety, well-being, effectiveness and financial sustainability of their workplaces and workforces.
Every individual employee will have their own expectations about how the workplace should look and feel in the future. There is no “one answer”. The future ahead will be both terrifying and exciting.
In this Handout I will be sharing Leadership Tips on how to help your business unit and/or team succeed after COVID-19, including how to:
Reinforce commitments to the mission, vision, and values of your organization
Act like a fellow human being, not a managerial robot
Stay agile
Communicate frequently and honestly, with courage and heart
Be disciplined and consistent; and follow your policies and procedures
Check your ego, stop doing all the talking, and double up your listening
Prioritize performance
Embrace creativity and innovation
Make technology work for you, not the other way around
Ask if everybody is OK?
Show appreciation
During past crises in history, not all organizations (and whole societies) have been equally prepared. Some do great, others just backslide to old practices. This one is no different.
A weak manager fails to stop, reflect upon, and learn from a crisis.
No matter what stage you are at in your managerial career – and even older dogs can learn new tricks – the following pages will provide you with some essential reminders and crucial tips.
You have an opportunity to learn, grow and emerge from COVID19 as a TRUE Leader!
1. Reinforce commitments to the mission, vision, and values of your organization
Major disruption always force an organization to think differently about their core purpose and business model. If your people did not fully comprehend and know your mission, vision and values off by heart before the pandemic, you will really face an uphill battle of mistrust and confusion. Reinforce the purpose and meaning of everyone’s work NOW. It is never too late.
Strategic action, rooted in a strong mission, gives your employees more consistency and predictability. This can only enhance their performance during uncertain times. A weak understanding of your mission and purpose will only cause further ambiguity, confusion, and reduced employee morale.
As the pandemic progresses and new changes disrupt your business and workforce, be sure everyone in the organization has a clear understanding of your mission, vision, and values. Communicate them with your team and the organization so often that you sound like a “broken record”. And hold deep discussions on what these core values really mean.
2. Act like a human being and not like a managerial robot.
At a time when employees are physically separated, and emotions are just under the surface, connection can be extremely valuable. When senior Leadership pro-actively reaches out and communicates frequently to their direct reports – at least 2-3 times per week – employees feel more connected. More importantly, part of “being human” is to also be authentic and share your own vulnerability. Organizations and Leaders can connect and show that they care about their people, and not just getting results.They do this by:
Connecting with employees one-on-one – at least a few times per week.
Sharing key messages and giving employees the reassurance they need to hear.
Opening up about personal challenges and being as transparent as possible to ensure everyone is “in the loop”.
3. Stay agile.
While this pandemic may prove that some organizations aren’t as resilient as they thought, on an individual basis your people are still mature adults who can adapt. Fear of uncertainty can result in the opposite of flexibility and agility.
Adapting to change is essential. At times of major crisis, we simply do not have any other choice. But please recognize that it is a strategic process. The process starts with taking the time to stop and listen to your employees. While it is so easy to fall into the trap (some call it a cult) of daily “busy-ness”, TRUE Leaders are strategic thinkers. If you’re only thinking about the short-term, you’re not going to make it.
Consider these ways to become a more agile and strategic Leader:
Adjust customer delivery and service
Leverage or move business functions to digital platforms
Provide weekly discussion and reinforcement of your employee’s goals; and coach each of them to support their own performance
Implement cross-training, more leadership development and added technical skills training
Allow employees to “flex their muscles” in their own roles, and encourage them to shift away from outdated old ways if they can come up with a better way to do business
4. Communicate frequently and honestly – with courage and heart.
The best cure for chaos is to develop shared understanding through constant team communication. Now, more than ever, you must become a “people manager” – even if you are an introverted personality.
Employees are not mind readers. And their ability to respond and react to your clear directives and communication will engender the trust necessary to rebuild your teams down the road.
But please understand that we are talking about progress, not perfection. Your communication does not have to be perfect and polished. Just be caring, sincere and “straight up”.
It’s also OK to be repetitive in delivering key messages because consistency is very reassuring. However, please remember to get on the phone or find a way to actually talk to people. Don’t just leave it to texting or email.
Eventually, you will become the courageous communicator that knows how to deliver messages that are crisp, clear and strategic. You will earn the respect of your employees by telling them what they need to hear from an authentic and “TRUE Leader”. And as a respected Leader, you will also know the vital importance of following through on promises made, and not trying to “schmooze”, be evasive, or shy away from healthy conflicts or uncomfortable conversations. After the dust settles, employees will choose to follow Leaders who are honest and upfront.
Together your team will take the right path, and not necessarily just the easy one.
5. Be disciplined and consistent; and follow all your policies & procedures.
The impact of COVID-19 has not only changed your employees’ work experience, it has changed our entire societal attitudes, opinions, and approaches to work. I say that the dignity of each person should be respected so that each person can “craft their own safety zone” and develop their own schedule and ways of achieving goals – just as long as they are still being effective and productive. It will be hard to ever return to the old bureaucratic ways of being chained to the office desk.
As your organization transitions out of this pandemic period, and recovers by making all the necessary adjustments, as a Leader you MUST make time to assess your processes, procedures, and beliefs. Determine those that aren’t “pandemic proof” and make a plan to sunset them. You also need to decide whether the new processes or procedures you have just created should maybe be good ideas to continue. There may be many.
Some examples of policies to re-evaluate during this time might be:
Business travel
Health and safety office protocols
Absenteeism vs. “presenteeism” – i.e. really knowing how to show up at work and not just “go through the motions”
Telehealth and health benefits
Not only conducting exit interviews, but annual and anniversary “stay interviews” to express one-on-one appreciation and to explore why each of your employees want to still stay with your organization
6. Check your ego, stop doing all the talking, and double up your listening
Though it may not feel natural to your normal way of being in charge, it is important to “love the sound you make when you shut up”. In other words, stopping to listen to employees – first – is a critical way to keep them engaged. Now is the time to listen first and speak second. The ratio should be at least 2:1.
Even during these crazy times, a quick “pulse-taking” survey is also important. Workers want to feel heard. Organizations that constantly gather and seek out employee feedback and concerns are the best organizations to navigate through the chaos of COVID-19. The best organizations also view employee feedback as “valuable data and intelligence.” Weak organizations and/or team leaders only want to hear things that reinforce their personal bias and/or stroke their big egos.
7. Prioritize performance.
Organizations that never did develop a modern and continuous system of performance management, or did not have a system in place, likely struggled with accountability and getting results even before this pandemic. Those organizations who adopted a performance culture are likely to be way more productive, regardless of whether their employees are out of daily sight, and working from home.
What does it mean to have a “modern approach” to accountability?
Performance is rooted in measurable results rather than micro-managing exactly how things have to be achieved
Goals are clearly established in writing, and each employee’s set of goals are openly discussed, transparent, and aligned
1-on-1’s feels natural, productive, and helpful – it’s just what good Leaders do
Feedback is positive, developmental, and continuous
Recognition is public and happens in real-time
Good Leaders never stop consciously trying to “catch people doing things right”
Not everyone is going to be a steady performer. So, it is also important for managers to transcend and become “TRUE Leaders” by also knowing how to practice empathy and seek patient understanding. Always leave the opportunity to ask questions and foster clarity through frequent 1-on-1 conversations – so that every employee that directly reports to you does not feel left behind.
I can not over-emphasize the power of a good one-on-one conversation. You are a coach to your employees, and you must feel it and know it – right down to your very bones!
8. Embrace creativity and innovation.
The newest buzz phrase in the last few months is that organizations, managers, and Leaders have “to pivot” to operate differently. The adversity caused from Covid19 makes it challenging to predict a few months from now, let alone several years ahead. We currently don’t know if this will be our permanent, “new normal” (another buzz phrase). While we cannot see the entire future, we can at least seize new or better practices.
Being creative not only helps your organization succeed, it can jump start your career path and make you stand out. Practicing curiosity and creativity are also fun ways to relax, and handle stress. Your employees can help you with that.
Never forget that your front-line employees are always closest to your customers, and they see a lot. Challenge them to think about how your organization could do things differently. Better yet, make sure you regularly visit your front lines and just casually chat with them to collect feedback and gather ideas.
9. Make technology work for you, not the other way around.
The way we use technology will continue to evolve. New software and digital platforms can turn an organization on its head. Thankfully, these new digital platforms and virtual meeting tools have prevented complete isolation after COVID19. Good organizations know how to give their employees all the right materials and tools to do their job.
Beyond meeting these basic needs, however, the question remains about how a dispersed/remote workforce might change your team spirit and organizational culture. Use technology to connect employees to each other, their managers, and the overall workplace culture.
Don’t hide behind your computer monitor or limit yourself to only phone texting. And don’t jump like a “trained chicken” to answer every beep or ring on your phone, while you are supposed to be honouring the dignity of the staff you are currently with. Always remember that effective meetings are “the arena” of TRUE Leadership.
An employee friendly digital work platform allows you to Improve manager-employee relationships with real-time 1-on-1’s. Good digital applications can also motivate employees with public, peer-to-peer recognition. And finally, the best “share ware” assists teams by openly displaying and tracking progress on achievement of goals.
10. Keep asking, “Is everyone OK”?
TRUE Leaders (unlike immature managers) know how to empower their employees to feel engaged, healthy, and safe – and not just “boss them around”. Mental health in the workplace is critical. Every human being needs three basic things – a sense of mastery and respect for their craft, some freedom that allows them to determine how best they want to do what they do, and the satisfaction of making real progress along the way, and not just spinning their wheels.
Engagement looks different for each employee. Addressing employees on an individual basis about these topics is a good start for a greater focus on their well-being:
In-person meetings (while practicing social distancing guidelines)
Work-from-home policies and providing clear expectations
Flexible work hours or shifts for those balancing work and family
11. Show appreciation.
Recognition can go a long way when employees are isolated, working crazy hours, and/or combating the stresses of COVID-19 elsewhere at home or out in the community. You can not be a “True Leader” without true and genuine followers, no matter what your title says. It really is that simple! Every position matters and everybody has a real job to do. Your job is to constantly guide and coach them, and then to get the heck out of their way!
Organizations can not survive without their employees. Employee health, well-being, and engagement should remain as your #1 priority if you want to grow in your Leadership journey.
I strongly urge you to establish a conscious, proactive, formal, and public recognition program to acknowledge all the adversity your employees have faced.
Showing appreciation in tough and chaotic times – in a genuine and heart-felt way – is the “secret recipe” on how to build trust, employee morale, and a culture of worker passion and commitment for the people they serve.
Conclusion.
In conclusion, this COVID19 disruption has been tough.
Maybe we will never go back to the way things were before.
But this is also a tremendous opportunity for innovation and improvement. Maybe this is your once-in-a-career chance to now grow and emerge as a “TRUE Leader”.
You can demonstrate how to better listen, learn, and come up with innovative new ideas instead of just showing up and going through the zombie-like motions every day.
And remember this:
“The strongest steel is always forged in the hottest fire”.
Ironically, the adversity and danger posed by COVID19 can also be seized as your red-hot opportunity to be the best version of yourself.
———————————————————————————————————————
With greatest care and respect for your leadership growth …
COACH DALE BOTTING
