Even if the COVID-19 crisis has thrown your organization into crisis, you continue to feel its impact.

The important lessons on maintaining connection, productivity, and engagement will continue for months and years. In the meantime, here is what your team needs from you today.

Leaders operate at three levels:

  • Individual leadership
  • Interpersonal leadership
  • Organizational leadership

You need to work at all three now more than ever.

You are continually doing things organizationally to respond to the challenges of COVID-19. Many of the responses implemented in the early days of the pandemic continue even as people head back to work. You will do even more in the future … such as incentivizing or even requiring vaccinations.

That’s not enough. Leaders enhance their credibility through personal and interpersonal leadership. Now is the time to increase your efforts there.

Let’s Get Personal

All leadership begins with self-leadership. You need your head and your heart in the right place to be effective today.

It is perfectly normal to express concern about the impact of your current situation, but instilling confidence is a priority. The face you present to your team needs to convey that you are confident without being arrogant.

Another crucial piece is looking beyond yourself.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was interviewed during the third quarter of the game that was occurring as the NBA announced the season was being suspended. It continues to be one of my favorite examples of leaders thinking and acting beyond their own immediate interests. Here is the link in case you missed it.

Cuban was incredibly transparent in his surprise and uncertainty about what was going to happen. In the midst of everything that was going on, however, he immediately said that the hourly employees in the arena – who technically don’t work for the Mavericks – would be cared for in this crisis.

His ability to look beyond himself earned a great deal of credibility at a time when people were starving for strong leadership.

Let’s Connect

Interpersonal leadership –how we interact with others – is equally important.

Here’s the principle: If you want your employees, vendors, and customers to think of you as a partner, you must be a better partner.

There are decisions that only you can make as a leader, but how you make and communicate those decisions matters.

Those you lead want you to make it safe for them. Physical safety is the minimum. It extends to creating an environment that is safe to raise questions and voice concerns. The emotional safety that your team needs is influenced by how you share information, respond to questions, and are available to listen.

Followers want you, as the leader, to be more visible and vocal. The need you to focus on moving forward toward success and not dwell on the dire situation. And, they value leaders who will connect with them where they are.

Your people are doing the best they can with their situation as they perceive it. Now is the time for an extra dose of listening, understanding, and empathy.

Leaders prove themselves in the face of crisis. Now is the time to lead.

 

Randy Pennington is an award-winning author, speaker, and leading authority on helping organizations achieve positive results in a world of accelerating change and uncertainty. To bring Randy to your organization or event, visit www.penningtongroup.com , email info@penningtongroup.com, or call 972.980.9857.