Leading Through a Crisis

What extraordinary days we are living through during this time of forced physical separation from our work, churches, families and friends, and favorite activities.  This global retreat is incomprehensible, frustrating, and seemingly beyond our control due to government mandates.

That’s one side of this pandemic-fueled reality.

There is another--a rare, unforeseen and wonderful opportunity to lead, and lead brilliantly, for as long as it takes to emerge from this situation.

Before you close your browser because you don’t think leading applies to you, take a pause and hear me out.

Here’s the premise: we are all leaders. 

That’s right, each one of us. We lead our family members, our friends, our networks and most importantly, we lead ourselves.

I believe if you get that last one right, every other relationship in your life will benefit. So let’s start with leading yourself.

Get your mind right. Look, if you don’t manage your mind, the battle is lost before it really begins. The bible teaches us that we are to “[…take every thought captive...].” 2 Corinthians 10:5

Taking your thoughts captive is the first step in cultivating an optimistic, cheerful, peaceful mindset, even in the midst of chaos. But, how do you do it? 

First, guard what you allow into the gates of your mind. For pity’s sake, please turn off the news and scroll on past the daily, even hourly updates on the latest statistics on flattening the curve. 

These come at us from all angles: television, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube…the campaign to influence our minds is relentless. 

This takes a disciplined commitment. The payoff, if you dare, is that it will increase your peace of mind exponentially. 

Just to test this, I have experimented for about a week with allowing myself to watch and open articles about the ‘pandemic’. Oh. My. Goodness. It has wearied me!

In contrast, for the several weeks before, the only updates I had received were from a few podcasters who felt the need to weigh in on ways to handle the financial implications from the shutdowns. Interestingly, my peace of mind and general optimism were fully intact throughout. 

Turn it off, my people!

The next thing you can do to maintain a positive mindset is to practice gratitude for every large and small blessing you have in this life. Find the good and focus your thinking on that. 

This might sound trite, but it works to keep your mind in a healthy state.

Share this gratitude with your circle of influence – your kids, your spouse, your co-workers, your friends. Lead them to do the same. Ask them what’s going well for them. Give them an outlet to, as my granddaughter’s shirt says, “Radiate Positive Energy”! 

If you are watching what is deposited into your mind, and using your mind to stay in an optimistic and grateful state, and you still find yourself subjected to some negative thought loops, you can stop the spiral by naming it, reframing it, and releasing it. 

Here’s an example.  

Thoughts: What if I lose my job because of this stupid virus? What if I run out of money because I can’t work? What if I can’t afford to put the kids in day care because I run out of money? What if I get sick and I can’t take care of the kids? What if the kids get sick and I can’t afford to take them to the doctor….?

Your mind, once it’s engaged in this pattern of thinking, will continue to spiral if you allow it. To stop this type of toxic thinking, write these thoughts down on paper.  Come up with a neutral or opposite thought for each one.  

For example, What if I am able to work throughout this virus crisis? What if I earn plenty of money because I am able to work…?  

This is reframing. Go through each negative thought and allow your mind the freedom to rebut each one with a thought that serves you. Remember, you are the one in control of your thoughts.

When you master this technique, share this with people in your circle who can benefit from it too.

Okay – mindset is the first area of leadership in which you can be an example of what is possible right now. 

The other huge opportunity for leadership during this very special moment in time is in your workplace.

Many moons ago, I read a book entitled, You Don’t Need a Title to Be a Leader, written by Mark Sanborn. Having worked in the business arena for more than 40 years, I can attest to this. As a matter of fact, people without the fancy titles often have more influence on a team than those who do. 

So, title or not, there has not been this great of an opportunity to provide leadership in decades.

Listen, your company is going to feel the effects of a mass shutdown of the economy. Now is the time for you, yes you, to think of new ways to help your company survive and thrive. 

If your company is investing in your salary and benefits by keeping you employed, I encourage you to ensure your work is contributing in a meaningful way to your company’s bottom line. You should be able to point out a dollar figure that is more than you are being paid on the company’s bottom line that is directly attributable to your work. 

If you believe you are in a role that has no ability to generate cash to the company’s bottom line, think again. Challenge yourself to figure out new ways to save money, increase efficiency, or make money.

Here are a few quick ideas to get you started:

Cancel unused or under-utilized subscriptions to services, online programs, magazines, or newsletters.

Renegotiate or refinance fixed expenses. Think electricity contracts, mortgages and loans, rent, service contracts, etc.

Purge and merge storage units.

Create a nice to have, need to have list of expenses and reduce, even if temporarily, the nice to have expenses.

Add extra production hours for top sellers, reduce production of slow movers.

Offer your service or skill in other departments outside of your own work area.

Repurpose and repackage content.

Eliminate unsuccessful marketing and advertising as demonstrated by KPIs.

Take advantage now to buy more low-cost advertising vehicles with a demonstrated return.

Stagger hours within departments to gain efficiency.

Your turn. 

What ideas are top of mind for you that can make a difference in the success of your company?

When you approach your team about your ideas to help the company, be sure that you take ownership of the implementation. Be thoughtful, resourceful and committed and watch your leadership quotient surge.

Leadership during this time in our lives is happening all around us. Some good, some not so good.

“Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” Psalms 143:10

I pray you and yours find level ground! 

My goal for myself is to lead well! Join me?