YOU FIRST, THEN YOUR PEOPLE
Leading in difficult times
“Galina, how can I help my organization adjust to the new reality of working from home under such trying circumstances?”
My client asked me this question in a coaching session.
Here are some strategies we discussed to help him lead now and in the future, whatever the future may look like.
YOU FIRST. Remember who must put the oxygen mask first on an airplane? A person responsible for others! You can’t care for others or yourself if you don't have oxygen. Today, more than ever, this concept is true for leaders. Take care of yourself first. Here are four simple steps you can incorporate into your day to better balance your physical and emotional state so you can be an effective leader by remaining calm, collected, rational, and clear-headed.
As soon as you wake up in the morning (before you reach for your iPhone!), take five slow, deep breaths with your eyes closed. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. My fitness coach calls this exercise a reset. It takes less than sixty seconds to complete, and it does wonders to help anchor your body and clear your mind. If meditation is a part of your morning ritual, by all means, do that, too!
Move your body throughout the day. Take short breaks from sitting, to dance, jump, shake, and wiggle, while walking to the kitchen to get your coffee or tea, feed the dog, or check on your kids. Physical movement boosts our energy, enhances our mood which in turn reduces stress and allows clear and creative thinking to take its place. So move like no one is watching, most likely, no one is. Have some fun!
Stay hydrated. Eat well. Hydration significantly affects our energy levels and brain functions. Healthy eating also gives us energy, positively affects our mood, and maintains the immune system. Enough said about that. Just do it!
Sleep. Good sleep boosts our immune system and promotes energy and productivity. It can maximize problem-solving skills and enhance memory. Get sleep!
STOP WATCHING THE NEWS!
YOUR PEOPLE. Your people watch you like a hawk on any day of the week, even more so these days. They take their cues from you, they measure the safety of their environment and potentially their jobs based on your behavior, body language, what you say and don’t say. That’s just a reality. There is a lot a leader can and should do in this regard, but these five practices are a good start.
Be open. If you have a day when you feel sluggish, distracted, or unproductive, say so… Your people will know it’s ok to have a day like this, too.
Share how you manage your time to keep your sanity in check. Share your tricks for balancing a work day with personal responsibilities: homeschooling your kids, grocery shopping for elderly parents, helping parents who live in another state, and taking care of yourself. Share the You First section and the fact that you don’t follow it perfectly every day but are giving it your best shot.
Get to know your people. If your organization is too big for you to meet with everyone, meet individually with your direct reports and their direct reports regularly. Ask deep questions. Listen intensely. Seek to understand. Get to know them! Encourage them to do the same with their leads and another level down until this trickles through the entire organization.
Coach and mentor your people—don’t manage them! Over time, build a culture of leadership by coaching. This culture will energize people and allow their creativity and innovation to flourish.
Allow as much working hours flexibility as possible to help your people balance their lives in a way that works for them. Productivity will increase due to improved sanity and built-up trust.
YOU GOT THIS.