We are all very familiar with the term “lockdown” right now, aren’t we? Most of us are tired of the phrase, however noble the cause, but what about the term ‘leadership lockdown’, how does that work?
During difficult times we often see a common thread among leadership in the way they tackle adversity. They follow the familiar pattern of cutting non-essential spending, halting people development, and closing projects that are not financially driven. In some respects, it is the ‘battening down of the hatches’ in the hope of avoiding the oncoming storm. For many, this is the only way they know how to survive the challenge. And in many cases, they are encouraged to take this approach by more senior leadership or business owners.
The leaders themselves generate new work in analyzing the business, micromanaging people, changing priorities, holding meetings, and developing reports and spreadsheets. With so many unanswerable questions, they lock themselves away from the very people who can provide guidance, whilst muttering the phrase “I’m too busy”. It is almost as if they go into ‘lockdown’ and batten down the hatches for safety.
When the storm eventually passes, the resulting devastation can take years to repair.
Following the lockdown, the results are always the same. The bottom-line is damaged and customers have moved on due to a drop in service. What really hurts the business most though, is the enduring impact on its people:
- Employee morale suffers significantly
- Middle-management are burnt-out through constant changes in priorities
- The good people move on
‘Great’ leaders behave differently. During these storms, rather than locking down, they rise to the challenge and find the opportunity in adversity.
So, what are the Top 10 traits that set these leaders apart during difficult times?
- They regard their time as precious and prioritise activities around people and process improvement, while delegating or stopping many of the more menial tasks.
- They make more time for employees and encourage questions.
- They increase communication.
- They set short term targets and celebrate small wins.
- They continue to develop their people by nurturing engagement and maintaining morale.
- They seek outside assistance for new ideas to solve their immediate problems.
- They run more projects to improve the business.
- They manage expectations upwards to maintain ongoing support.
- They are always optimistic, open and honest.
- They are never ‘too busy’ to listen to an employee or a great idea.
How do you think your business or department looks after the storm has passed?
At Industry Partners Australia we believe your solutions start with a conversation, so talk to us about your challenges today.
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