Dear Leader,
You were made for such a time as this.
You need to hear how much you and your leadership matters right now. Amidst the panic, the fear, and the unknown, your team and employees are looking to you for real leadership. Our team is thinking about you, praying over you, and discussing ways we can best support you through this time.
Here are a couple of ways that your leadership can have a powerful positive impact on the people you lead:
- Tell them “You are okay. We will all be okay.” A trauma doctor will tell you that the most important first thing a trauma patient needs to hear is that they are okay. Tell your people this, and really mean it. This time will not last forever. China has already begun closing ICU hospitals set up just for Covid-19 treatment because there are fewer cases requiring hospitalization. There will be light at the end of this tunnel and you need to remind your team that your company will not be overcome by this pandemic.
- Use this time to get ready for the BIG REBOUND. As soon as everyone gets the green light to be able to go to dinner, travel and congregate again, the demand for goods and services will skyrocket. Consider how badly you desire something as soon as you are told you can’t have it or do it? Your competitors are not preparing for this and will still be trying to mobilize while you will hit the ground running. Get ready, it is coming.
- Be audacious and generous with positive encouragement and care. Your employees will remember this time and how you led them through the uncertainty. Right now, they are telling their spouses and friends and family about your leadership. When it is over, how do you want to be remembered? Write notes of appreciation, help out with creative solutions to keep things running, catch people going above and beyond to help their co-workers. This is your chance to become the leader you always wanted to have lead your division or company.
- Take some time for creative brainstorming. Is there an opportunity to seize created by this pandemic? What could your organization do right now that could bring value to your clients? What new needs have been created that your organization can fulfill? There is gold in adversity. Your job as a leader is to help your people discover it.
- Lastly, and most importantly, put on your own oxygen mask first before helping others. Every time I fly, the flight attendant reminds us to put on our own oxygen mask before helping others. Please, please, please be mindful of what information you are allowing into your mind. Your spirit will reflect your own inputs. If you allow yourself to be inundated with bad news, you will sweat despair…which is very stinky. Make sure you are intentional about looking for good news, reading books and articles that make you feel hopeful and optimistic. Don’t fake it, be intentional about building belief that the future is bright.
This pandemic is creating the scene in the movie of your life where you take all of the lessons you’ve learned, all of the hardships you’ve endured and you pull everything good from those experiences to lead your people in ways that change their lives for good. You’ve got this! You really do! I believe in you and I am here to help you any way you need!
Now go lead…be powerful…make a difference…and you will celebrate with your teams in triumphant ways when this is over!
