Tools for Leading in a Pandemic
Author: Sandy Thompson, LEAD Director & CEO
It goes without saying that the pandemic has impacted on how we lead our teams and organisations. Some key shifts have occurred:
The great resignation trend (Research has found that 43 per cent of NZ workers plan to actively look for a new job this year, with 15 per cent prepared to quit without having a new job lined up.)
Increased levels of stress and burnout for leaders and their teams as a result of living in a health crisis
The mix between working from home and the workplace has blurred the lines between home and work/the personal and the professional
A reliance on technology given the need to working in a fully or partially virtual environment over long periods.
Not for profit leaders already have in their kete the tools to lead in this context. At LEAD we see effective leaders:
Embracing leading in complexity and engaging in systems thinking
Creating people centric processes where the whole person is considered
Taking holistic approaches that consider workers’ roles outside of the workplace, such as processes and structures that are fluid and flexible to accommodate children and community commitments.
Generating psychologically safe spaces for employees to be able to speak freely and bring their whole selves to work.
Resourcing individual and team wellbeing
Ensuring equity through creating work conditions and providing support that result in similar outcomes for diverse individuals, irrespective of their backgrounds and social status, and providing extra technology support for those who are challenged in this realm for whatever reason.
Valuing and prioritising ongoing communication and relationship building
Supporting participatory decision making
Fostering a culture of collaboration and commitment to the purpose or cause.
Of course you cannot do this on your own – seek out peers, learn from others, and take the opportunity of the new year to develop a personal leadership development plan.
Our upcoming Leading Community Organisations course will offer the support and learnings you need. The next cohort of the nine week online course starts 29 April 2022.