For many leaders, the last few weeks of events, news, and unrelenting pace of change have been a rollercoaster. Everywhere around them is overwhelm, volatility, uncertainty, paralysis, and doubt. Staffing, programs, payroll, strategies, and more have been thrown into question sometimes with no immediate and clear solution to be found.
I wish I could offer these leaders some kind of quick fixes or a survival toolkit. But sadly that doesn’t exist. We’re in uncharted territory . But I can say that the skills that make for strong resilient leadership in the good times will also help in uncertain times.
Let me share some thoughts.
Many dedicated leaders tend to feed themselves last. They care so much about their cause and their people that they work themselves to the bone—crazy hours at the expense of their health, family time, and happiness. That’s a mistake during the best times, and it’s especially problematic now. Not only does your organization need you at your best, but they need you to model healthy behavior. Nobody is much value to the cause if they are run down, sick, or worse, lying in a hospital bed.
People talk about resilient organizations, but we also need resilient people. Instead of running at a sprint, leaders need to be adjusting the race pace for a marathon. They need to be ready both physically and mentally for the long road.
The good news is there are deceptively simple practices for everyone to help build and maintain resiliency.
Be present: Anchor yourself in the present, and take actions that make sense right now. Forecasts can be seductively comforting, it can also lead to unnecessary anxiety. Do what you need to do; notice and avoid rumination.
Values: Revise and anchor yourself in your values. This will help to guide you when there is no clear external direction.
Back to the basics: Treat yourself like an elite athlete. Imagine you are training for the Olympic trials. Make sure you are paying attention to the basics of sleep, nutrition, body movement, gratitude and joy.
Focus on your circle of control: There is a lot of need right now. Pull your awareness into the sphere you control: your thoughts, your reactions, your emotions and how you act on them.
Our invitation now is to lean into our common humanity. Many leaders are reaching out to important staff and stakeholders with a desire to help and support. Instead of guessing what they need, ask them directly. Even if there’s nothing you can materially do, it always helps to offer compassion and community. It helps these people simply to be seen.
People are seeking many things during moments of uncertainty including hope, inspiration and stability. Hope will look different for each leader and each organization, but the big commonality is that it will be found among the things that each can control. Find those things that you can do right now, in this moment, and let those be your first steps. That might turn into momentum, and hope won’t be far behind.
