This image depicts how this lockdown feels to me. The other day I had to drive down a motorway on an essential errand. Yes, the signs tell you to stay at home, save lives, protect teh NHS. In addition, it is the darkest time of year, plus virtually every car on the road is a commercial vehicle. People are indeed only out when they have to be.
So, this week, the first week back to work since the holidays and the first week of this full lockdown, the theme has been consistent in every meeting with leaders, it is all about “how to lead through lockdown”.
Through listening, reflecting, advising across many meetings this week, a few themes coalesced for me that are consistent. I’ll articulate these relatively concisely today, I hope this helps you consider how you are and will lead in the coming winter months.
If you’d like to talk more, book an online meeting, am here to listen and support. So, three points of focus:
- Empathise. First, get real, this is a really s*** time to be going through for everyone. Be vulnerable and tell them how you really feel (without being self-indulgent) then ask them how they are feeling. Listen to understand, you are there to lead them and people follow leaders who care about them.
- Vision. Everyone is struggling with motivation among so much uncertainty at the most existential levels. As a leader you are the “keeper of the vision”, yet your people will not spend much time thinking about this, they focus on doing their job. So, it is key that you let them know your longer term vision. These are very tough times, yet the vast majority of businesses will ultimately pull through. However, so many of your people will, rightly or wrongly, worry about their long term employment, so let them know where you see the business in the future beyond this very tough phase of pandemic. Let them know the future is out there.
- Expectations. Yes, leaders must be empathetic and must be clear on the vision and communicate it. Along with this, though, is the reality that the business must get through these tough times in order to be able to thrive in the future. This means everyone in the business playing their part. Expectations must be set, committed to, delivered upon at all levels for the business to later be in a position to thrive. I emphasise that this must be done with open communication and empathy, yet businesses must hit numbers to get through this.
Focus on these three areas, in this order, to lead through lockdown.