The current climate requires our leaders to be agile, adaptable, quick to recover from setbacks, and ready to reassess and change tack at a moment's notice.
It's a strange time, and we're all just waiting for the dust to settle (whenever that may be). In the meantime, we need to carry on, be adaptable and work together to keep pressing forwards. Managers now need to become leaders, forging a sense of stability, connection and support, leading by example and being flexibile to the changing cirumstances. With so much change it can be easy to become overwhelmed, stressed. If you're feeling it, chances are your team are too. So how do you become this mightly 'Leader'? How can you better equip yourself to deal with their needs? One very powerful word... resilience.
If you can lead by example by showing your resilience your teams will follow suit. You will create a culture where your team can react more positively to change, and will be empowered by your leadership not to panic but to work logically and focus on the things that are within their control.
What can you do to build your resilience in the current climate?
Take care of yourself - It seems obvious, you can’t drink from an empty cup and therefore you can’t lead a team well if you are not functioning at your best. Coping with stress and change is a lot easier when you have a solid foundation. Ensure you are practicing self-care through these troubling times; get enough sleep, exercise, take control of your emotions, and enhance your social connections.
Make time for reflection - Take a moment and reflect on your experiences. What other difficult circumstances have you overcome? How did you manage this? What did you do that helped you get through that situation? Take a moment to remind yourself what tactics you have used previously, what tools you found helpful, what lessons you learned and how you can use them now.
Accept change - Things are moving so quickly right now that you will need to be agile. You may often find yourself in a situation where you need to radically change finalised plans. By being more flexible you can improve your ability to overcome setbacks and adapt to new realities.
Find a mentor - We are all in this together. There will be others out there that are facing the same challenges as you. Reach out to a mentor who can give guidance and maybe a new perspective and seek feedback on your plans.
We recently hosted a webinar "The midset of resilient leaders" with Paul Lyons watch the full webinar below.
There are going to be obstacles.
From much larger organisational change to your everyday way of work, If it's being too easily accessible or just tryingto fit in all those one-to-ones. Here's a few solutions to some pain points that have been mentioned to our team.
"The difference between mere management and leadership is communication" - Winston Churchill
Communication
Clear communication has never been more important for a leader. Your team needs to fully understand what is expected of them and feel that they have a platform to openly discuss any issues that may arise. Good communication has always been top of the list for many business leaders out there. Being able to clearly articulate your point to your team or other senior leaders helps to build trust and connection with your colleagues. When managing a team remotely this skill is vital..The importance of good communication filters into your team. Not only does it give everyone an opportunity to have a voice, it also promotes innovation, idea sharing and a sense of belonging. However, when leading from afar communication can be misinterpreted, which can lead to frustration for yourself and your team members.
Have a plan for how to be contacted
With many team leaders now facing the problem of being a little too accessible, it's important to ensure you protect your time as well. The open-door policy was great, but you still had the option of being in the office or not. Virtually that door is always open, and you are always available. Setting boundaries or making your team aware of the best way to contact you is essential. If your team doesn't know which messages belong in which channel, you will waste far too much time on irrelevant conference calls, endless email chains, and suffer from notification fatigue.
Stick to a routine
Keeping appointments to the allocated start and finish times is extremely important. You will most likely find that your calendar is busier than ever when trying to keep connected with everyone. Sticking to a strict schedule by ensuring your meetings start at the right time and do not overrun means you have more control of your working day, but also your team can schedule their work effectively around you. It’s important to help them stick to their regular slots and help respectfully balance the needs and time of each team member.
Make sure to completely unplug
With your office now at home, it’s easy to be drawn into work on your time off. A quick check of your emails can see you investing your free time back into work. While a little overtime here and there is normal, it is unhealthy for this to become an everyday occurrence. Lead by example and allow yourself to create a healthy work life balance and encourage your teams to do the same.
Managing conflict remotely
Virtual spaces can empower people to be more brazen without thinking about possible repercussions. Create a space for concerns to be heard and keep an open line for anyone to contact you. When a concern is raised, identify any gaps in communication and sources of uncertainty, miscommunication can often be the reason for the issue. Look for behavioural changes, is written communication different for one person in the team, are certain team member's being left out of main threads? Be conscious of these small changes and ensure to schedule a one-to-one to check in and diffuse the situation. When stepping in, have a clear plan. Create goal focused conflict plans and reinforce that they may not like each other but they do need to work together and so a common goal needs to be reached to ensure an enjoyable work environment for everyone. When stepping in, have a clear plan. Create goal focused conflict plans and reinforce that they may not like each other but they do need to work together and so a common goal needs to be reached to ensure an enjoyable work environment for everyone.
If you would like more information reach out to one of our specialist consultants here.
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