Before COVID-19, the call to action for leadership in a thriving business environment was to be innovative, seek growth opportunities and increase market share.
In a recession, the leadership pendulum has swayed to focus on the fundamentals for survival. Now is the time to rebuild leadership muscle in a changing COVID environment. The call is to act quickly to control costs and maintain enough cash flow to stay afloat.
For those who have not led teams at such a grassroots level the transition will not be easy. It will require building new leadership muscle to successfully function in these austere times.
Here are Verity’s curated list of ‘exercises’ to rebuild leadership muscle:
1. Learn to lead with incomplete information.
Speed is more important than precision. Not every decision may be the right one but failing to act is much worse than an occasional mistake. Decisions made daily will impact business continuity longer term. This will require clear priorities, trade-offs, decisions and action.
2. Bring in outside expertise when needed.
The playbook that worked in the past may no longer be relevant. Be clear and communicate what the business no longer offers. Put out feelers for new ideas. Join a network of local leaders experiencing similar challenges. Verity Consulting can help with these forums.
3. Set your outlook for the shorter term.
Stay true to the priorities and revisit those each week to be sure everyone is focused on those areas that matter most for the week. Don’t be afraid to update priorities at the end of the day or week. Ensure a routine of self-care is prioritised to be sure you have healthy reserves of energy and healthy emotions.
4. Connect with individual team members.
Rebuilding leadership muscle will require relating to team members at a personal level first before attending to work. If this is an area that is foreign Verity can help with some ideas e.g. Friday afternoon Zoom bar
Leading in a crisis is very different. To survive and thrive in these times a new set of routines need to be established. Contact Verity Consulting to find out how we can help with an exercise program to build leadership muscle in this changing COVID business environment.
