Succeeding with What’s Still True, and Even More True
As the coronavirus crisis has intensified and my travel and in-person meetings have been scrapped, I have had a lot of 1:1 conversations with clients. I have been grateful for the connection and felt more like friend than consultant. But we have discussed work challenges, and I’ve found a common theme: the core and timeless ideas of management are a big help right now.
Values guide the way. Values, like marriage vows, only show their worth under conflict, challenge, and tough choices. One client (whose company performs essential services) has seen conflict between team members whose work must be done in the office and those who can work from home. Among her company’s four stated values is “tribe,” and we talked about how a candid discussion of “tribe” could diminish the tension and conflict.
Culture still eats everything. Not in office ≠ no culture. Assessing culture and strengthening norms is critical during crisis. I’ve got work underway with a client on organizational culture, and we both came around to the same conclusion: it won’t be easy to do this work, but the importance and urgency just skyrocketed.
Work doesn’t work without trust. Several clients are facing difficult financial choices that seem like a negative-sum game. They realized it is time to slow down, strengthen personal ties, and affirm shared objectives, so those money discussions are built on trust.
Leaders need to think. In a blog post years ago, I wrote: “Organizations whose leaders don’t have time to think are in trouble.” The present crisis creates an action-orientation that is necessary but has pitfalls. Almost every client I have spoken with has concluded: I need to find a way to do more thinking.
People are unique and human. This is a great time to remember we are not just the face we put on at work ... the non-work side is more intense than ever.
Excellent fundamentals go far. For years I have been amazed how widely variable even very senior leaders are in fundamentals: meetings, strategy, planning, recurring 1:1’s, feedback, conflict, and the like. A lot of the challenges my clients have raised can be helped by these fundamentals, and it’s much more than Zoom etiquette.
Alignment is power. A rapid context change like coronavirus weakens alignment, and leaders need to rebuild it. In normal times people invest in team offsites to achieve alignment. A team offsite now? It’s between laughable and impossible, but we need a way to build the basics elements of alignment: interpersonal connection, a common world view, common goals, and a shared path.
Difficult situations are a chance to do something amazing. With fear and sadness dialed so high now, we have astonishing opportunities, both in the business and in human relationships. Your people, your customers, your network … they will never forget the courage, intelligence, and kindness you show now.
Self-awareness and self-management are non-negotiable. Long ago, I concluded the hardest people to deal with are those with low self-awareness. If you can’t manage your thoughts and emotions, you can’t manage anything. Don’t think of self-awareness and self-management as luxuries; they are – right now – cornerstone elements of survival and success.
It all comes down to personal agency. When the events are so darn BIG, we are at high risk to believing we are powerless. If you believe you can shape your path, you can.
I hope this is helpful. I wish you and those you love health, safety, and peace.
(This article was previously published on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/succeeding-whats-still-true-even-more-jonathan-becker/)