The ask on Leadership now is for a more human approach.

This article offers four tips on how to cultivate this.

COVID 19 has changed the world, distancing us from “the human touch” as we knew it. Seemingly overnight, existing structures and ways of working in organizations were unceremoniously squashed and a reconfiguration of ways of leading and working virtually is emerging. There is an undercurrent running through the COVID 19 health crisis, and it is tugging at our ways of being, connecting, and trusting.

With cities and suburbs eerily quiet, people find themselves steering through a different landscape – one which is congested with paradoxes.

There is a reset on what is being asked of leadership. The ask on leadership is in helping to make sense of this emerging landscape laden with paradoxes, and to support the formation of social structures that offer connection, belonging and trust.

Examples of paradoxes leaders currently face include:

·      Team members living and working in isolation yet their need for social connection and collaboration is elevated.

·      A collective yearning for a sense of belonging while individual circumstances and concerns differ. 

·      Economies are sputtering, impacting work structures. Unemployment rises, many are underemployed with others buckled under heightened work demands. And, people want to contribute, and to grow.

·      Trust is imperative and yet trust is fractured and uncertainty looms around what new norms will form for work, school, travel and social activities.

How can a more human leadership approach be cultivated?

Tip #1 Have authentic conversations. Your empathy will reach beyond six feet and leave a lasting imprint.

Humans are social creatures and want social connection. However, individual circumstances may differ. At a time where many social structures have been shuttered, the ask on leadership is for a different approach. It is no longer about seeking compliance within structures. Rather, it is about creating spaces for conversation. Ask questions and listen to determine what structures of routine to set up which offer connection, belonging and productivity; and where to offer flexibility.

Respect individual differences. Colleagues have different needs. Some are isolated, some working with other family members at home, some are removed from the home. Everyone is in different places in stress, fear, anxiety. We tend to judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their actions. Don’t assume you know what others may be experiencing. Do regular check in’s on calls and video conferences. It is more important than ever to check in on home contexts, listen for challenges individuals face in their personal lives and in making progress in their work. What is their frame of mind? What do they need? Getting a granular realistic insight on this will help you know what can be realistically achieved, what each individual needs from you. What support they may need. And what your business may need to prepare for.

Tip # 2. Lead with Guiding Principles.

Give thought to and define guiding principles to guide you and your leadership team through the tough situations and emerging new scenarios. Share these guiding principles, refer to them frequently. Tough decisions will need to be made to navigate through paradoxes. Being transparent on the guiding principles will highlight the thought given, consideration of fairness, and treating people with respect.

Tip #3 Have the courage to be vulnerable. Get comfortable speaking about emotions. Start with making friends with fear.

Uncertainty = Fear.

Managing through fear can be overwhelming and many are not comfortable facing fear. Building muscle strength in facing fears is vital for yourself and as you lead others.

Fear is in fact a healthy emotion alerting you to what needs attention, what actions need to be taken. Considering what needs attention, what action needs to be taken, what is the request for support – allows one to identify the fears. Naming fear reduced the anxiety it creates and empowers one to befriend fear in a useful way.

Fear presents in different forms of intensity - ranging from soft intensity - like concerns, feeling cautious or hesitant; to a medium intensity - like feeling afraid, unsettled, or worried; to a higher intensity - like feeling terrified or panicked. Differentiating the intensity of fear and building a language for different types of fears helps befriend fear and to differentiate true concerns from a general feeling of anxiety.

Social norms expect leaders to be upbeat and exemplify strength. COVID-19 reminds us we are all human. Just as the virus does not differentiate by zip code, emotions, too, impact each person. Fear, in some form is present for each person. Grief and loss is burrowing its way into people’s lives too. Ironically, now is a beautiful time to shed the old expectations of being strong and upbeat. Share some of your own concerns and worries, how you’re working through these. It is this vulnerability and sharing of emotions that will instill trust and empower your teams to raise their concerns – business and personal. Compassion forms with sharing of broader worries that are more nebulous to work through.

 Tip #4 Cross Train for Resilience. Ways of working will need to change. Invest in yourself and your team for the longer game.

Show your commitment to your team through implementing a cross training initiative. Cross train to build muscle strength for sprints of delivery around immediate business needs as well as building readiness for the longer-term game.

Get ruthless on prioritization. Role model what you are saying yes to and where you are saying no. Empower and support your team to raise challenges and determine what they can say yes to and where to say no.

Build muscle strength in discipline and focus to deliver on these priorities – encourage sharing of ideas to activate and maintain discipline and focus while working remotely.

Encourage accountability buddies to support each other on what needs to be accomplished on a given day/week. Getting things done maintains a sense of achievement and contribution.

This is an opportunity to go beyond roles and appreciate human to human connection. What are the individual strengths, interests of individuals in your teams– in what other ways could their interest and knowledge be engaged? Who can they be buddied with for knowledge learning and sharing? Give thought to setting this up for both immediate deliverables as well as longer term planning.

COVID-19 reminds us of human vulnerability. Natural disasters and pandemics are part of life. Slow down, reflect on what matters. Build in time for forward thinking and planning, and what can be done to start preparing for this. Weave this into new ways of working.

To deliver now and for the longer-term game, it is key to invest in oneself. Share examples of self-care practices that are restorative. Recognize the importance of committing to this daily to set you up to be intentional about what you want to get done and how you want to respond. And to build resilience and replenish reserves for the longer game.

Consider introducing these daily practices with your teams.

·      What am I grateful for?

·      Who am I checking in on or connecting with today?

·      How am I getting exercise today?

·      When will I go and what will I do outside?

·      What am I letting go of and what am I starting to accept?

·      What am I creating today (e.g. conversations, connections, work outcomes, baking, music)?

·      What is important, what matters, what do I care about?

To apply this right away, consider what paradoxes your organization or team face?

What conversations and practices can you have with your teams which cultivate solving for both aspects in the paradox?

Sea Change Coaches provides coaching to leaders and individuals around cultivating human leadership; shifting mindsets to build resilience and readiness for change and transformation; and developing personal agency.