It is now August 2021, so what have you done with the first seven months of this year? You, my friend, have an excellent opportunity to be a Hero right now in your business and in your personal life!
As the leader of your business, family, non-profit, or community group, you must be like a “pioneer” of old or an “astronaut” and be willing to venture into the unknown. Your task is to re-engage your teams, staff, and volunteers even if they are still remote and hesitant to come into a live meeting or face to face in the office.
The question is HOW?
Let’s go about this systematically. What do we know for sure about life right now and those whom we want to re-engage?
- We know COVID and all its variants are not going away anytime soon. Can you do something about this on any scale? No.
- We know the federal government, the CDC, local governments, and states will have their mandates. What can you do with the information you have? You can formulate your guidelines for your people, but first, you will have to talk to them. Talk to them one on one and as a group.
- We know “consensus” is likely not happening. So, what can you do about it? You can begin each one-on-one and each group meeting with some facts, restating what you want to accomplish in the meetings, state emphatically what the end outcome you want for the firm or organization, and get “buy-in” on these core things.
- What do I do about all the “mixed messaging” that come from every source, and how do I combat this misleading and confusing information? Before you meet with your people, formulate a plan, set guidelines, and decide which entity your firm will use as their guide on all of these issues.
This is only a shortlist, of course.
Let’s step out of our current timeline and enter a “bubble of possibilities” vs. “anxiety and uncertainty.” Help and an unbiased perspective are what are needed in the unique situation we find ourselves in today.
If you have read any of my blogs for the past 17 years, you will know I am a mentor, a coach, a trainer, speaker, and published author and with an enormous body of work, client work, 20,000+ hours of in-depth training well qualified to help you re-engage your people. Reach out. I can be your “thinking partner” during this transition.
Below is a list of “Thinking-Partner” examples we might explore.
- Real Metrics
- Communication
- Vision re-evaluated with today’s reality
- Mission re-evaluated with today’s reality
- Collaboration with others in your field and community
- No wrong ideas
- Evaluate your choices where you live and work
- Define what is not working
- Define what is working
- How to let go of those things that are not working
- How to enhance what is working
- Working together as one unit, one team
- How to keep HOPE alive in your organization
- How to keep HOPE alive with those outside your organization
- Seek to know where the obstacles are, where the fires are, where the crises are, mistakes, challenges, and exit ramps are which are hindering your forward progress
- There are no bad ideas, and all ideas are on the table or put in the “parking lot” during your brainstorming times
- How to map out the journey to full work and engagement
You might be thinking, that is a long list. You are right. However, if you have not already made your own list, this one will suffice. As the leader, you must do many hours of soul searching and reflection about exactly where you are and where you want to be in the future. If you are one of the millions who begin each day in a spirit of negativity and throw in the towel, this is not for you. However, if you are a stubborn person who wants to succeed, may I say “CONGRATULATIONS!” You are exactly who this post is for.
All you stubborn, positive folks begin each day with this mindset:
“There is a solution to anything I face today, and I am willing and able to find that solution!”
Here are some questions you might want to ask yourself.
- How will I lead my organization or team today?
- How confident am I to lead myself [I know I am the hardest person to lead!]?
- How confident am I to lead others?
- Am I going to think through this current new reality we face clearly?
- What values do I have and that I must impart to my team?
- Do I feel a pull to move forward, remain still, or perhaps retreat?
- What is driving this feeling?
- Who was I before COVID?
- Who am I now?
- Who do I want to be?
You might be wondering why these ten questions.
“Knowledge of self is the foundation of leadership.”
