What Successful Teams Are Doing Now

Boy howdy do our lives and work look differently than they did even a month ago, huh? Collectively we have:

• Transitioned to work mostly from home (and watched a lot of webinars on how to WFH)
• Furloughed and terminated employees
• Made some really tough business and people decisions
• Attended virtual weddings and funerals
• Started wearing masks in public
• Got Zoombombed

Leaders at every level have been asked to step up in new ways and navigate unchartered waters. Some leaders are tired of making decisions and ready for all of this to just be over. Other leaders are feeling energized and more ready for the challenges ahead. What’s the difference between these two? I want to share with you what I’m seeing from my clients who are leading with resiliency.

Leaders who are successful now are:

• Embracing the uncertainty and making confident decisions anyway. They understand that they don’t and won’t have all the info, but they’re taking control where they can. When in doubt, do the next. best. thing. That’s all.
• Making investments in the best choices. Many of my clients are fast growing and successful. When that’s the case you often have too many projects that never get wrapped up. So they’re taking this forced pause to wrap up software transitions, building maintenance, process improvements, etc.
• Realizing that their people are the number one thing to invest in right now. The ones that are still there need to be on their A-game everyday and they need training and development to make that happen.
• Taking care of their minds and bodies. Successful leaders that lead with endurance are still working out and eating well.
• Finding new ways to serve. New challenges call for new solutions. Pro Troublemaking leaders are finding ways to earn money and serve in a new way.
• Owning their leadership role regardless of title.

Here’s my call to arms: now is not the time to chill out for too long or overwork yourself. Now is the time for focus, consistent action, optimism, and pragmatism. Work hard on the most impactful work. Realize that not all priorities will continue with the rest of 2020 and that’s okay. Grieve the losses, and release them.

Now is the time to take radical personal responsibility for how you show up every. single. day. for your team and organization. In a year I want you to be able to look back and say, “I did everything I could do to make my company successful.”

Now is not the time to work yourself to exhaustion. Now is not the time to numb yourself with T.V., social media, and wine.

If you still have your job after a round of layoffs, now is the time to earn your keep. If you were furloughed or terminated, now is the time to focus on your spiritual, mental, and physical game. Keep searching for that next gig, it will happen!

Persistence, consistency, and optimism will carry you through the day-to-day decisionmaking.

When it feels hard, ask yourself, “What opportunity exists here?”

Do the next best thing.

Here at Stefanie Krievins & Co. we have several free and paid programs so you know how to pivot during this next phase of disaster recovery. Check out our COVID-19 Response page for the right kind of support to keep you moving forward.