When lock-down was announced there was a flurry of shock, alarm – for some excitement. Overnight, people found themselves creating a home work-space, balancing clients with children, learning technology, exercising in the living room, adapting to close-quarter living, talking to life-partners who had been career ships in the night for years.
In wider society there was a resolute determination to get through this – thousands signed up as volunteers, neighbours checked on the elderly, Christmas card relatives were called, old friends clattered back together. The same response – often called British Bulldog for its spirit of loyalty – erupted in business. Leaders checked on their teams, pulled them together virtually, told them ‘we will get through this together’. Suddenly they were remembering to say ‘thank you’, passing on feedback, asking about the kids. They were, largely, kind.
Likewise, people so often underappreciated were recognised as the essential skeleton of the business body. IT teams moved heaven and earth to get people working and connected; HR teams moved to wellbeing; L&D transformed workshops into webinars; facilities sourced and delivered everything required to keep calm and carry on. Suddenly Business Services were colleagues and not a cost centre.
In the UK, we are now four weeks in and facing more. But are all leaders keeping up the energy? Are they all still driving out the love? From my perspective, working across the legal, financial and insurance sectors – I fear the answer is ‘no.’ We are beginning to see leadership fatigue.
It is very understandable. Leaders are weary and worried. As time goes on it gets tougher to stay positive, hide your own concerns, balance pastoral care with diminishing profit, answer or deflect the growing number of difficult questions which have no definite answer. The emerging responses are:
- Reduced communication
- Stopping daily team check-ins or asking if they are still required
- Forgetting to give or pass-on positive feedback –or even saying ‘well done’
- Avoiding one-to-ones for fear of difficult questions
- Irritation when difficult questions are asked
- Dropping below the leadership line and communicating more with favoured team members
- Hoarding work and withholding opportunities
- Driving work towards the most trusted few
Every one of these reactions will degrade morale, increase concern and, inevitably, diminish leadership credibility. In addition, they are stacking up longer-term issues.
Good leadership needs to be sustainable –shining bright when times are tough and then keep shining on and on. Right now, though it is a very big ask, leaders need to go back to week one, focus on morale and re-invigorate for the next phase:
- Keep your teams connected through virtual meetings
- Any positive feedback – give it or pass it on
- Ask how people are coping – this is not a time for ‘British reserve’.
- Be flexible – people are tired, cooped-up and kids are climbing the walls
- Keep everyone as busy by giving them the projects you never found time to do
- Be as honest as you can without breaking the leadership line
- Treat all equally but flex your style to their needs
Above all – be kind – for that is what you will be remembered for when we enter the next period of normality.
Next week, I will look at how leaders can bolster their own resilience and be kind to themselves.
