Elevated Leadership & Tips for Tenacious Teamwork Through Turbulent Times

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in the moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” 

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

A leader is not a title – a leader is a person who can unite when faced with adversity.

Amidst the difficult times of the #coronavirus, businesses face multiple challenges. From laying off jobs to the possibility of bankruptcy, things may get hectic and spiral out of control. But this is exactly when outstanding #leadership and teamwork comes into play.

Especially during a chaotic time, it’s very important that you elevate your leadership skills and adapt to the current situation. What your team needs is a strong leader who can help guide them, so it calls for you to take action! Increasing your help and support for your team will help ease a lot of stress; active communication and transparency will contribute to a better team environment. It may be hard at first, but eventually, you and your team will be able to persevere through these challenges.

And don’t worry, you’re not alone! We’re also here to help you, so we’ve invited expert panelists Kate Nasser (@Kate Nasser), Gene Petrov (@LDRBRND), and Evan Wyk (@eveynwyk_) who have great advice on how you can boost your leadership skills and teamwork! Missed the Twitter Chat? Here’s a quick recap:

Q1: What communication tips/strategies are the most important to keep in mind and practice?

 Kate: Be honest with care not blunt and brutal. Don't use authenticity as an excuse to be insulting and rude. Put those you lead ahead of your own personal needs, inspire & appreciate them, inspire their talents & courage.

 Gene: Make kindness, compassion, and empathy the base for all our communications. Believe the best in people. Strive to be a person who builds bridges and brings harmony when there is discord.

Q2: In times of turbulent environments what should take priority as a leader? What should shift in your normal leadership style? What defines a strong leader?

 Kate: In turbulent times, lead with empathy and inspire other's courage and strength. Don't dump your stress on them.

 Gene: The ability to adapt to new paradigms is critical for leaders these days. But even more important: never lose focus on serving people. It's the people that matter the most. There is real strength in humility and service.

 Evan: A strong leader harbor qualities likes integrity, accountability, empathy, humility, resilience, vision, influence, & positivity! These attributes are fundamental in dealing with teams in troubled times.

Q3: What is a "team" and what actions define a great teamwork behavior? What qualities are the most important when times are difficult? What’s the best way to check in with the team when working remotely?

 Kate: A team: "People who adapt grow and change to meet common goals and a shared success." Most important teamwork qualities in tough times: empathy, respect, listening, support, accountability, [and] communication.

 Gene: A team is a collection of people working together towards a common goal. A great team is more efficient at achieving that goal. When times are difficult it is most important for the leader to be there for the team- to inspire, encourage, listen, and love.

Q4: How do you prepare your team to be all those things in times of high stress?

 Kate: Team specific team-building can have simulations of tough times. There's nothing like practice to make people & teams self-aware and prepare for tough times. What DOESN'T work is to be a dictatorial unappreciative leader with the foolish idea that this toughens everyone up.

Gene: Model servanthood. If a leader does that, the team will replicate. And that is ultimately what we need to be doing as leaders: making more leaders. Orgs of the future will need leaders at all levels to handle the growing complexities of our world and work.

Q5: How does emotional intelligence and self-confidence feed or hinder teamwork and collaboration? What obstacles could block teamwork and collaboration? As a leader how do you efficiently and compassionately guide the train back to the track?

 Kate: True emotional intelligence & self-confidence (not arrogance) IS the pathway to great teamwork and collaboration.  Knowing yourself & honoring others builds the bonds for teamwork and collaboration. Emotional intelligence honors other's human needs.  Many so-called leaders overlook this completely and in the end do not inspire high-performance teams or results.

Evan: To lead confidently & intelligently by example will make collaboration much more efficient. If members realize the leader is showing, not telling, then their confidence won’t easily buckle. Be prepared for any ‘derailing’ by having a get-back-on-track plan.

We hope these tips help you better navigate through difficult times! And just know that we are all in this together! 

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