Posts in Leadership
KINDLY LISTEN UP

In reflecting on our observations of our clients over the past six months, we have noted a range of responses to the unusual situation in which we have all been living and working. Without question, each organization’s workforce has expressed an evolving set of emotions; what workers were feeling in the earliest stages of the pandemic has been largely replaced multiple times over as the duration of the crisis has lengthened. Keeping a finger on the pulse of employee needs and emotions has been one of our strongest recommendations to our clients; knowing where their workforce is “at” is a critical component of keeping employees engaged and productive. It also underscores the reality that what got workers engaged in February 2020 cannot be assumed to have the same effect in October of the same year.

Read More
Embracing Uncertainty: Careers in Chaotic Times, Part II

Face it: in a non-linear world, it makes sense to expect uncertainty. While no one can predict how that uncertainty will manifest itself (Fuel oil crisis? Toilet paper shortage? Lockdown?) what we can know is that, in our globally interdependent world, we can’t anticipate exactly what will be coming at us in the future. What we do know, however, is that there absolutely will be curveballs that will not only change the way our world operates, but also what jobs and opportunities will be available to us in the marketplace.

Read More
Unleash the Power of Your Team

Obviously most working teams or committees are composed of extroverts and introverts—I would argue you need that combination to make problem-solving and the generation of ideas successful. In typical meetings, extroverts will often find it easier to contribute, to speak up, and process their thinking out loud; this approach is not in the wheelhouse of more introverted team members. With more on-line video meetings as part of the normal workday, there is significant pressure and need for leaders to step forward and manage team interactions, in order to ensure that each member is fully functioning in the interest of the success of the organization. Deliberately employing explicit structures and guidelines, that employees become used to over time, will set the stage for better productivity and involvement.

Read More
Tip of The Iceberg: Crisis Leadership for the Long Haul

Nobody said leadership was easy. And it is certainly not a surprise that leadership during a crisis is even more difficult. The leaders currently dealing with the unseen iceberg of Covid 19 can testify to the fact that they could not have envisioned what this leadership journey would be like.

But, like a roller coaster, when your car is on the track and moving, there is no turning back. If you signed on as a leader in neutral---or even good---times, this turn of events is now part and parcel of the job. Today’s leaders tell us that they always knew that crisis leadership would be very different from leadership under normal circumstances. What has caught some by surprise, however, is the number of different types of leadership required. They are noting the shifting emphases and styles needed to lead effectively as the situation evolves. From the identification of a state of crisis, through the various stages that follow, leading people will demand different behaviors: the delicate art of leadership must encompass the ability to look beyond the immediate to offer a vision of inspiration and hope, while at the same time, responding effectively to the very present changes in emotions and needs of the people who look to their leader for support and empathy. This is particularly true in slowly unfolding crises such as this pandemic.

Read More
Virtual Background: New Tools of The Trade

Elizabeth is a principal with a health economics consulting firm based primarily in the northeastern part of the United States. Her current work involves leadership and project management, drawing on quantitative and qualitative research, and managing clients. When she was hired by her current employer two years ago, it was made clear that her primary base of work would be her home. During the recent months of lockdown and work-from-home, Elizabeth’s level of comfort and success, while WFH, have made me think about, not only what mindset and skillset it takes to make this shift, but also other lifestyle improvements that the shift enables.

Read More
Priming for Re-Entry

For so many of us who have currently made the shift to WFH from WAO I expect we are missing some aspects of our daily work, and also beginning to realize what we have gained. According to a recent GALLUP study (April 3, 2020) 3 out of 5 people would now prefer to continue working from home, whereas 41% would like to return to work. [US Workers Discovering Affinity for Remote Work, Megan Brenan.] These numbers made me wonder what it was about this arrangement that led new work-at-homers to express this preference.

Read More