Being a better leader During a pandemic

LEADERSHIP is being tested like never before. When it comes to finding solutions in a crisis, leaders who respond with compassion and empathy are real champions. In a time of crisis like the coronavirus pandemic, workers, friends and family will look to leaders for guidance and reassurance. Leading during the acute COVID-19 crisis has been a stress test for leaders, it is only in this time where true leadership is shown in the way one handles and responds to the crisis.

Bring everyone to the table

In difficult times, it can be tempting to move fast and make decisions without seeking input from others. Responding to COVID-19 requires leadership to have certain unique traits.

First, you must be ready to review the situation with different eyes as new information and data becomes available, then make the best decision. You should be sure to keep updated and be ready to re-evaluate your decisions as you assess the situation on the ground.

Secondly, you have to be willing to take responsibility where you are wrong, even if it means contradicting yourself. Practically, this means actively engaging with your teams, workforce, and constituents. Rest assured, that there is no leader who has all the information available to him or her.

Engage with purpose and humility

Great leaders engage purposefully with those around them to harness the knowledge of the broader workforce.

You need to create a team around you to help in gathering emerging perspectives, and also make recommendations. This engagement creates a sense of togetherness by having the humility to listen to a wide range of opinions and asking questions. It also connects with colleagues and shows that you genuinely care about them and their welfare. With the stress of a crisis, it is easy to assign blame, find fault, and criticise. Purposeful engagement enables leaders to steer the process in the chosen path through the power of respectful dialogue emphasising connection over correction.

Plan for the long and short term

As the impact of COVID-19 continues to hit brands across the globe, many companies have found that planning both short term and long term has gone out the window.

After all, no one anticipated the pandemic to wreak havoc on the global economy but we should still continue to plan, making contingency plans too.

Successful leaders have the ability to devote befitting short-term resources to pressing needs while maintaining a focus on long-term strategic goals. They do not hesitate to make the hard choices (eg work from home or even total lockdown) to address short-term priorities. Of course, it’s hard to prioritise long-term planning in the face of an immediate crisis but leaders must start planning for the long-term impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Plan with your team

As the coronavirus is affecting workplaces around the world, employers need to adjust to this new situation and develop a strategy to prevent the damages coronavirus can bring. When we say damages, we mean in relation to both the safety and the productivity of your entire workforce.

The first step is to show your team the value in planning for the future together despite the crisis.

Some team members may wonder why they should engage if the situation feels hopeless or if they are busy putting out fires.

Let each team member know you need their ideas and partnership now more than ever and make sure you do that by increasing the frequency of team meetings.

Cultivate hope in the employees

As a leader you should be the master in cultivating confidence in your employees and followers. Confidence is important to cultivate in a crisis, but hope is what moves employees and followers.

You should have the courage to say to your employees and followers that “we are all going to be ok”.

You have to show confidence that you are going to be able to see this through successfully, with a minimum amount of disruption to the company, and also to all stakeholders who are relying on your leadership to get them through the crisis.

You should be the pillar of hope.

Inculcate internal resilience to followers

When your organisation goes through unstable or challenging times, it’s critical that everyone on your team adopts a resilience mindset. A mindset of resilience is being able to adapt to changing circumstances, incorporate new behaviours and follow new processes.

Resilience is the process of being able to adapt well and bounce back quickly in times of stress. Developing resilience can help you cope adaptively and bounce back after changes, challenges and setbacks.

It can help you maintain caring relationships with others and a positive and easy-going disposition.

Maintain communications to and from all employees

Decision-making in a crisis is tough, and often, there is little time and energy left to devote to how you will communicate your decisions to your employees. It is imperative to keep everyone up-to-date with the latest information.

One effective way to keep lines of communication open is to distribute daily bulletins or other company announcements even over WhatsApp groups.

It is also important for the company to ask the employees if they have any questions and be prepared to dispel rumours that may have circulated. This will build trust among employees, leading to an increase in productivity, output and morale in general.

Be sensitive to your employees

As a business owner, the most important thing you should do is to ensure that your employees are safe. People matter most, and you have to ensure that your employees are safe always.

Whether it’s within an office environment, in the warehouse, or in a manufacturing plant, employee health and safety is exceptionally important. Proactive measures, such as providing personal protective equipment (PPE) and sanitisation products, should be taken. It’s also encouraged for employers to check on their employees here and there.

Have cleaning procedures in place and regularly wiping all surface areas with an antiseptic is key. Disinfect commonly used surfaces, like doorknobs, tables, desks and handrails, and encourage your employees to wash their hands immediately upon entering the office.

Be transparent and empathetic

Be honest about the harshness of the situation and clearly explain what the business must do to survive. But take caution to only share what you know for certain.

If you don’t have all the answers at that moment or a firm idea when things will return to normal, it is advisable you commit to providing regular updates. Employers must do all they can to prevent rumours from circulating and communicate proper information that is correct via proper channels.

Dealing with the uncertainty and supporting employees through this difficult time should become a major concern for many Leaders.

In times like these, there is volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity that need rapid, high-impact decisions in a limited information setting.

Leaders have to manage these elements, learn new lessons along the way, and help to develop various creative problem-solving strategies.

Emmanuel Zvada is an award-winning Most Fabulous Global HR Practitioner 2020, HR disrupter and trusted coach. He writes here in his personal capacity.