Our newsfeeds are awash with advice on how to handle the never-ending slog of the pandemic, and it’s mostly too much to bear. But what I have actually enjoyed in the past week or two are the happy examples of people showing true kindness to their colleagues – true leadership – in depressing times.
Perhaps you’ve noticed other fantastic acts of leadership in your networks, but here are five I wanted to share.
1 - Explicitly calling out mental health
We know that living through a prolonged crisis is not normal. Being confined to home at all times is not normal. Home-schooling children while simultaneously contributing professionally on webcam in virtual meetings is not normal. Being unable to visit friends and extended family is not normal. Calling all this out, acknowledging the anxiety, and giving staff permission to be open if they are not coping, has been refreshing. I’ve seen leaders do it in team emails, in staff meetings, in board meetings – a far cry from the days when mental health was not talked about. Openly showing leniency, understanding and compassion – encouraging their team to be easy on themselves – is a great leadership gesture in tense times.
2 - Caring for your people
Have you ever received an unexpected gift that brought a smile to your face? I’ve seen CEOs send boxes of market-fresh vegetables to their staff and encourage their team to share photographs with each other of the food they cook. We’ve had other leaders move their monthly drinks to an online format, sending wine and cheese hampers to people’s doorsteps in advance. A simple care package doesn’t solve all our woes, but it brightens the day, bringing novelty and gratitude.
3 - Supporting those who are directly affected
I was on a video call this week and one member of the team was in extended isolation, awaiting the confirmation of a negative COVID test. His main concern was that he couldn’t exercise his dog – and his manager immediately offered to come around and take the dog for a walk. Obviously, we all act within the particular restrictions that apply in our own state, but generous gestures like this bring simple human compassion to our work interactions and set a wonderful example for others to follow.
4 - Modelling the right behaviour
Leaders need to walk the walk. Obeying health restrictions, getting tested when unwell, getting vaccinated once eligible – they all send signals to our peers on how we must cope with the crisis. I’ve seen senior executives being really open about why they were staying home from the office on a particular day, because they had the very slightest of symptoms and couldn’t take any risks with the health of their colleagues. I’ve seen a small business operator take their entire team to a vaccination site to get the jab together. It sends a message about the part we all play in keeping each other safe.
5 - Dialling up the communication
It’s a basic tenet of management that in a crisis you need to up your levels of communication. I’ve seen office leaders sending out daily e-mail updates, with news of any changes and adaptations that management is making, and a reminder of staff supports available. I’ve seen team leaders deliberately increase their levels of praise and feedback to their colleagues, to reinforce all the good work that is happening despite the difficulties. And I’ve seen Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern jumping on a Facebook Live Chat to directly answer questions from people in real time, after she announced their latest lockdown. In a crisis, we want to hear from our leaders. Making yourself visible and available with reassuring and sensible updates helps to keep your team calm and focussed.
If you’ve noticed other kind gestures, I’d love to hear them. In the meantime, I’m going to take some inspiration from those compassionate leaders I see in my own network and try to pay it forward.
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