Leading a Business through COVID-19
Few thought, back in early March, that 7 or 8 months later, we would remain mired in the economic freeze-out that is the Coronavirus. With the recent news that our pandemic may actually become endemic — having settled to a relatively constant rate of occurrence, like the annual flu — business owners must recognize how imperative it is to pivot and be able to lead successfully, in spite of COVID-19.
In his recent article, Arlin Sorensen of ConnectWise lists his top 10 attributes for business leaders during the pandemic and several merit repeating here.
Thoughtful Communications — There has been way too much divisive and vitriolic rhetoric associated with this public health crisis and people are tired of it (on both sides of the aisle, as they say). Be mindful of what you say and, more importantly, HOW you say it. Easy and hard conversations both demand that leaders think about what they say and how it will be received.
Valuing Personal Ideals — We currently live in a time where there appears to be little equivocation amongst the pressing current events. People are Pro-Biden & Anti-Trump or they are Pro-Trump & Anti-Biden; seemingly, there is no in-between. People are pro-mask or anti-mask; seemingly no one is “indifferent mask"“. When an employer disregards — or worse, devalues — the strongly held personal beliefs and ideals of its employees (and face it, all personal beliefs and ideals seem to strongly held right now), the employer is signaling that it does not care about the employees. And there are few ways to decrease productivity faster than by alienating the employees.
Study the Facts and be Transparent — Everyone is on edge and there have been allegations of lying right and left (literally — the left accuses the right and the right accuses the left), so people do not know who to trust or what to believe. An employer who is less than transparent — or worse, disingenuous or duplicitous — risks sacrificing all credibility and further alienating the employees. It is no time to be cagey …
It stands to reason that our collective nerve endings may be less in inflamed after November 3rd but that — regardless of which candidates win — will not resolve the situation. While the phrase “new normal” seems trite at times, it is accurate. We are developing a new normal and business leaders have to adapt.
