Leadership needs more Vision and Compassion - and it’s essential

1. In 20 years of coaching I have never experienced a period where so many people are struggling to cope. We were in over our heads before the events of this year, let alone having to cope with everything we have had thrown at us.

2. Post High Blues Plus. The relative ‘high’ of mobilising businesses at the onset of the virus and what was meant to be a ‘short sharp’ defence against the virus is not and the time IC (In Covid) is stretching out further and further. We are experiencing this long tail realisation that we are ‘living at work’ but with no real outlet outside work as we experience lockdowns, masks, distancing, concern for and loss of loved ones, which alone would test us, let alone sense-making of the momentous non Covid events. As leaders we cannot influence the impact of global events, however we can impact how our people are within the work family. Remember, your team are working in geographical isolation. They should NOT be working in social isolation. If they are, then you aren’t doing your job. Many are experiencing extended working days to the extent you are jetlagged at home, with many in serious danger of burnout or worse.

3. What is needed? Visionary leadership is vital now as lockdowns and uncertainty outside the work environment increase. But also ‘Caring and Welfare’ will emerge as a Core Leadership Trait and must be part of any contemporary leadership model.

4. Does this all have an impact on people? Absolutely. Let me give you a recent example. I spoke to an ex-client last week, who we’ll call ‘A’ . ‘A’ had a conversation with a colleague and sensed something wasn’t right. She checked and the colleague assured her she was OK. ‘A’ circled back later and dug a bit deeper. The colleague said “Are you asking because you feel you should or because you’re interested?” Assured she was interested, the colleague revealed that this was the last conversation for the day and that evening she was going to commit suicide. ‘A’ spent the rest of her evening and night talking and summoning help. Whilst this story ended well, such issues are not one offs.

5. So don’t take the care of your people lightly in the rush to get to the conversation with them as a unit of production.

6. Make sure you are taking care of yourself. To help others in these current circumstances will require you being at the top of your game.

7. So what is the next ‘big thing’ that can give something to focus on and help counter the feelings of depression, stress & anger that many are feeling? Well, counter intuitively, I believe it is climate change. What can we start to do at an individual or organisational level that will have an impact? How can we start a local wave of momentum? How can I make a difference? And remember, the last 50 years of environmental action has shown that society can force change…