Values and Leadership Newsletter
Food for Thought |March 2020
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In a matter of days, our lives have flipped upside down. Our usual sense of normal has been threatened and we are challenged with moving forward in a new reality. Whether you are working from home, trying to homeschool your little ones or simply trying to find what you need at the grocery store, some area of your life has changed. So what does that mean for leaders? Leaders play a critical role in times of crisis. Your team is looking to you for every answer, for clarity, and for hope. That’s not a small feat. While these are unprecedented times, this is not the first time leaders have had to embrace uncertainty. Experience has taught leaders how to handle turbulent times and navigate change. While there is no how-to manual for what is happening across the globe, we can look to each other for direction and for support. Though this is a time to isolate physically, it is not a time to disconnect from each other. |
In the News
“While it’s not unusual to go through a period of personal uncertainty, we don’t normally traverse the unknown all at the same time.” As we navigate uncertainty together, may we rediscover who we are as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Embracing uncertainty and leading through adversity
Turbulent realties force leaders to change the way they lead but that does not mean we should abandon our mission and core values. Rather, use them as a compass to navigate the current reality.
That discomfort you’re feeling is grief
Being the leader is even more challenging right now.Everyone is experiencing different emotions; leaders are not exempt. David Kessler, the world’s foremost expert on grief, encourages us to “feel the grief and keep going.” When we allow our feelings to happen, it empowers us to move forward.
Leaders don’t have all the answers and can’t predict the future. Instead, focus on the present. Find out what your people need from you right now. And don’t forget to look after your own needs as well.
Focus on trust: Successful leadership in times of crisis
How we respond today, will be remembered tomorrow. Navigating this crisis requires a shift in focus. Now is the time to get “the whole community rowing in the right direction.”
From our shelves …
In her book Emotional Agility, Susan David addresses what it means to be emotionally agile. When we allow ourselves to feel our emotions and take the time to understand where they are coming from, we are better equipped to generate actions and decisions that are values-aligned. When we are faced with uncertainty, do we respond with emotional rigidity? Or do we respond with emotional agility?
Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life
Susan David
Avery (2016)
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