Uncertainty and business do not do well together. The global pandemic has resulted in a range of uncertainties around health, economic and social issues. Sound business principles are built on reliability, consistency and predictability. As we are currently experiencing, the absence of these will have a direct impact on your business.
You may realise that some change is necessary for your business to survive the fallout from the pandemic. You may have used these tell-tale signs to identify that your business is in a crisis that requires immediate action. Either way, your levels of stress have probably increased.
I was under the impression that I was dealing with the lockdown well enough. Certainly, the children require more attention and losing some business is inevitable. But things weren’t that bad – better in fact than what many others are going through. After further consideration though, I realised that I was exhibiting some physical and emotional symptoms of stress. Undeniably, some comfort eating found its way into my daily routine. A lack of exercise has affected my sleeping patterns and blood pressure. The 3rd phase phenomenon has reduced my patience with my fellow locked-downers. And not being able to get in the ocean and catch a wave is a constant frustration.
I also found that I was far more drained after a day of meetings via Zoom compared to face-to-face sessions with the same people. This is when I learnt about video fatigue, the result of constant digitalisation and over scheduling.
It is during these times of increased pressure, stress and anxiety that we as leaders have to stand up and show the way. It is our responsibility to reach out and connect with those we lead by showing some vulnerability without appearing weak. We must focus on reducing stress by controlling what we can and letting go of what we cannot. We have to reduce uncertainty by communicating clearly, regularly and honestly. We have to prove our mettle and show our compassion, while we protect our own well-being at the same time.
So say the bosses
Simon Sinek has a beautiful short book on this subject called Together is better. It is filled with inspiration and infused with optimism, literally. He says: “Leadership is not about being in charge, it is about taking care of those in your charge”.
This is not the time to impress others or yourself with how strong you are. You must fall back on strong relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. We have all heard Bill Whithers’ advice: find somebody to lean on. Someone you can trust to lend an ear, keep your confidences private and give some sound advice. Someone to lessen your load.
The Sologix solution
We remind our clients that they need a strong team to succeed in business. Invest time and energy into finding and developing that team. Remember that the strength of the team is governed by the strength of the leader. We share with our clients, amongst other things, the valuable lessons learnt from The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, The Speed of Trust and how to apply The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People to your business.
Engage with Sologix to help you on this path. Join an online course or contact us for personal business coaching by sending us an email here.
