As we continue to live, recreate, worship, and work during these uncertain times, this is an excellent opportunity for you to step up your leadership. No elected official that I know of ever won with the campaign slogan of, “vote for me, I am a milquetoast leader”. No officer ever rose through the ranks of the military by not being prepared physically, mentally, and intellectually. Real leaders lead by example, they show up, they motivate, they educate, they empathize, and they support their people.
How many of you have been in an organization where the leader just “phones it in”? No business owner or leader ever had their company prosper when the boss said, “I’m sitting this one out, you guys handle it”. I think we all have experienced this type of leader at one time or another.
Conversely, how many of you have been in an organization when your leader shows up every time with a plan and tries to empower their team with resources they need to execute the plan. That style instills confidence in the company and your coworkers. And those leaders are the most successful. This is the difference between digital and analog leaders. Digital leaders send emails, analog leaders get out of their offices, walk the halls and talk to their people in an effort to hear new ideas and learn about their concerns. These supervisors and bosses are actually willing to listen to people’s suggestions and refine them to improve the overall plan.
Right now during this COVID epidemic, your organization needs leaders to step up. Be that compassionate and competent leader that has a new plan in place with an emerging path forward. If you watch the news all day, you would think the world is coming to an end. Depending on which channel you watch, there is little short-term hope.
But I can assure you, there are thousands and thousands of people working day and night to develop a successful treatment and vaccine for this virus. They will succeed. We will find our way back, and we will thrive again.
If you have accepted the role as a leader in your organization, or if you campaigned to be a leader for your constituents, it is your responsibility to learn all you can from different sources, create a plan of action, and set forth every day to execute that plan. If you don’t, your subordinates and constituents will notice, and you will never truly have their full trust and confidence as their leader.
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