To say that the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic has been a challenge for us all is, at this point, probably a bit of an understatement.
While it’s true that more and more states are opening back up again, the cloud of uncertainty seems to grow by the day. Millions of people are still out of work, and not all of them are lucky enough to be productive remotely. Countless small businesses were forced to close their doors, not sure when (or if) they’d be able to open back up again. It’s undoubtedly been difficult for you as a business professional, too – especially as your workforce looks to you for answers you probably don’t have.
But during Coronavirus or any other crisis situation, your employees really don’t need answers at all. They think they do, but nobody actually has them – so how can you be expected to provide them?
No, what they really need is a leader. And if you want to rise to the challenge and become that guiding light they need right now, there are a few key things you’ll want to keep in mind.
It All Comes Back to the Plan
One of the most important qualities that a leader can exhibit during a time of crisis is a sense that he or she actually has a plan for how to get through all this. Yes, the situation is changing by the day – but that doesn’t matter. You need to define what your priorities are right now and put a plan in place to support and empower them at all costs.
This will usually involve some form of adaptation, because again – the situation is changing rapidly. But whether your current focus is on employee safety and care (as it should be throughout all parts of this process), financial liquidity, business continuity or something else entirely, people want to know that YOU actually have a destination that you’re working towards.
If you’re able to provide them with this level of confidence, they WILL line up behind you and follow – even if they can’t see the destination themselves, necessarily.
Reliability Matters Most of All
Likewise, understand that all of the best leaders – especially during crisis situations – are able to take personal responsibility during the situation. Even though a lot of the things going on are totally beyond your control, you still need to act as the figurehead that the brand will rally behind during this period.
Work hard to make sure that your team is aligned and focus, and establish the type of performance metrics that you need to keep your business moving forward. Let people know that you’re all in this together and whenever you have the opportunity to, lead by example.
Show people as often as you can that you truly understand the circumstances. Go out of your way to find new ways to engage and motivate people. Make it a priority to keep everyone in the loop at all times through clear, consistent communication.
Although it may not necessarily seem like it right now, there will soon come a day where the Coronavirus is behind us. Things will start to return to “normal” again, although the businesses we go back to won’t necessarily resemble the ones we left just a few short months ago.
But the most important thing to keep in mind is that you will face other crisis situations throughout your career. There will be more times when your workforce needs a leader to show them the way. By keeping these best practices in mind, you’ll be ready for that eventuality – and you’ll come out all the better for it.
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