BY MARC-ANDRÉ ALARY, CEO DIRECSYS
Here in New Brunswick we seem to have hit the second wave of Covid-19. We all knew it was coming and here we are.
At the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020, we saw a lot of articles about the leadership required in these unprecedented times. Here are 3 of the best:
The toughest leadership test, McKinsey & Company
The heart of resilient leadership: responding to Covid 19, Deloitte
What good leadership looks like during the pandemic, Harvard Business Review
It would be fair to say the second wave will be another test for leaders. Will it be a fatal one or a winning one? That is up to each leader to make the call.
In these articles, there is one common trend:
BE HUMAN
- Be human with yourself first.
- Be human with your immediate family
- Be human with all stakeholders
You’ll say it’s too simple to make sense. Yes, maybe but remember that sometimes in simple ideas, there lies great breakthroughs.
BE HUMAN WITH YOURSELF
So, what does it mean to be human with yourself first? Well, how can you take care of other people if you do not take care of yourself first? You’ve heard that before. If you have rituals or micro habits in place, keep them, they will help you stay centred. If you don’t have any, create one, it’s crucial.
BE HUMAN WITH YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY
Always remember that your family will always be there for you. Have you neglected this investment in the past? Stop dwelling on it. It’s not too late to re-energize those relationships. A happy home makes a happy leader, which will have a ripple effect back at work.
BE HUMAN WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS AT WORK
Be human with all stakeholders: communicate, communicate, and communicate. Be honest, be transparent and constantly keep them updated.
This morning during my call with my accountability partner, Johan Ekmark, he shared a tool called S.T.O.P.
Don’t worry! doing those steps doesn’t take that much time. Around 15 to 30 minutes depending on the seriousness of the issue. Try it, you’ll be amazed by the results.
Remember, these kinds of situations are more a matter of mindset. Are you playing to win or playing not to lose? The mindset for the first option will dictate different decisions. Yes, you’ll make mistakes and that is normal, but you can always correct it as it happens.
Be strong, be kind and be united.
