18 Mar Resources for Leading through the COVID Crisis
Over the last week, we’ve been in touch with many leaders who are struggling with everything from crisis communication and resource planning to rapid decision making and managing employee fears. The Coronavirus is changing our lives and work in ways we don’t yet fully comprehend.
None of us knows how or when this will all be resolved. But there’s one thing we do know: Crisis leadership is all about the people. We’d like to share four things you can do right now to lead effectively during this unsettling time.
None of us knows how or when this will all be resolved. But there’s one thing we do know: Crisis leadership is all about the people. We’d like to share four things you can do right now to lead effectively during this unsettling time.
- Communicate Every Day – Send an email, leave a voice mail, or record a short video, and make sure it gets out to every employee in your company. Your message can be brief and factual. Just let people know what’s happening and what you’re doing to address today’s realities. At a time like this, you really can’t communicate too much.
- Create Certainty in Uncertainty – Not knowing what’s coming creates a lot of anxiety for people. As a leader you can create a sense of stability by being 100% clear and explicit wherever possible. For example, let your team know when and how they can reach you. If there are any fuzzy areas in your policies (such as working from home or paid time off) now is the time to make them unequivocal.
- Give Employees Choices – In a crisis, it helps people when they focus on what they can control. What decisions can you give back to your employees? Can you give people a choice about their hours of work? Or the priorities they’re working on? Remind them they still have control over their mindset, wellness, work ethic and relationships.
- Find Ways to Stay Connected – Some or all of your workforce may already be working remotely. If so, find creative ways for people to stay connected. Focus everyone on shared goals. Set up regular video chats. IM each other when you arrive and leave work for the day just like you would if you were in the office. Ask your employees for their creative ideas for staying connected.
As always, Tandem Partners is here for you with resources to help you lead – with compassion and foresight, respond to employee needs, and get the best from your rising leaders. Please let us know how we can support you.
Most leaders accept that at some time in the future, their time at the helm will end and the business will be given into the care of the next leader. However, just thinking about the transition can be daunting and overwhelming for the senior leader. If that weren’t enough, most owners experience their own succession just once. Tandem Partners provides the experience and professional guidance needed to move through the strategic, operational and interpersonal issues that are all a part of transition.
For families in business, success is not just measured in fiscal years, but over generations. Yet often, leaders are so focused on the day-to-day that they aren’t able to step back and focus on the issues that impact long-term sustainability. We help leadership teams assess where they are now, where they’re trying to go and how they’re going to get there. Our expertise in the areas of organizational strategy, structure, process and performance is a unique feature of our work, and integral to our transition management approach.
