How to provide effective and compassionate leadership in this time of crisis
Mar 29, 2020 / Dr Claire Macaulay, BTA leadership consultant and executive coach
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We are living in unprecedented and anxious times.
As the leader of a third sector or charitable organisation you will have many concerns on your mind; sudden and unplanned homeworking for staff and their wellbeing in this tumultuous time, continuity of front-line services that provide for some of the most vulnerable in society and concerns about how to keep the lights on if fundraising is compromised.
You do not have to make all of the decisions on your own. You have good people around you who know what you and your organisation stand for – use them and make decisions collectively to do the right thing. Remind yourself regularly that you are doing your best and that there are no “right decisions”.
You will have your own feelings to contend with. Perhaps you feel unprepared, anxious, stressed and an overwhelming pressure to make the “right” decisions. These feelings are all completely normal, but what you can’t afford is for them to become overwhelming and paralyse you into incapacity.
Now, more than ever, your organisation needs to you to lead with focus, clarity and compassion. At BTA, our purpose is to support charities in good times and bad. We have asked our leadership consultant Dr Claire Macaulay to compile five top tips to help you cope with the enormous challenges you are currently facing and emerge from this crisis with your wellbeing and organisation intact.
1. Be present.
What you are feeling is real. Make room to recognise your own feelings and concerns and encourage your staff to do the same. Research shows that about 50% of people are “worst case” thinkers. They will be operating from a place of fear that the worst possible outcome is what is going to happen.
Acknowledge that fear, but negativity and doomsday prophecies are not necessarily helpful for team morale or productivity. As a leader, notice if this is your personal style and catch it. Create the clear narrative of what the “most likely” outcome is, not the worst case, and re-frame the collective mindset to a more positive one.
2. Trust that you will do the right thing.
2. Trust that you will do the right thing.
You do not have to make all of the decisions on your own. You have good people around you who know what you and your organisation stand for – use them and make decisions collectively to do the right thing. Remind yourself regularly that you are doing your best and that there are no “right decisions”.
And remember, if a decision turns out not to be the right thing, then change it. You are not trying to be right, you are trying to do the right thing - changing your mind if things don’t work out is not weakness, it is good leadership.
3. Remember your values.
3. Remember your values.
In times of crisis and great uncertainty, you need somewhere solid to plant a foot while you pivot and adapt to changing circumstances. Your organisation’s core values and principles are that solid ground. In a crisis, more than ever, commit wholeheartedly to your values.
Share them with your team, make all your decisions based on them and live what you say to stand for. Acting from your values will mean that every decision will be the right thing.
4. Tell people what you do know and what you don’t.
4. Tell people what you do know and what you don’t.
Crystal-clear clarity about what is happening in your organisation, what you expect people to do and the decisions that are being made is imperative in maintaining trust and diminishing fear. Decide on a communication strategy and consider updating staff daily with a simple and honest briefing about the current situation.
Be very clear about what you do not yet know. This serves two purposes – it highlights to people that you are dealing with issues in the background and that they are on your radar, even although you do not have the answers yet.
Be very clear about what you do not yet know. This serves two purposes – it highlights to people that you are dealing with issues in the background and that they are on your radar, even although you do not have the answers yet.
This eliminates the element of surprise when decisions are announced. This also helps protect your time and resources, because people will not need to contact you with questions and concerns because they are worried you are not addressing them. Key to this is making sure that you also provide timescales for when you will know the answers and sticking to them.
5. Think about the long term.
5. Think about the long term.
This will end. How you respond now may have a major impact on your organisation for many years to come. Your staff are smart and strong and resilient, and so are you. You will adapt and you will get through this. You may need some additional help and support - and BTA are experts in providing support when you need it.
LEADERSHIP WEBINARS
We have arranged a series of four webinars specifically designed to support you as a leader through this difficult time. This will be suitable for CEOs, Senior and Middle Managers. The webinars will follow these themes:
- Leading remote teams. Lead with trust not control - Monday 6th April
- Supporting your teams. Mental health and resilience - Wednesday 15th April
- Income generation. How to protect your income and future - Monday 20th April
- Looking forward. Coping with what lies ahead while dealing with the here and now - Monday 27th April
Dr Claire Macaulay is a leadership consultant and executive coach with a particular interest in compassionate work cultures. Claire worked in a remote team for 10 years, and will lead our four webinars on leadership in a crisis.
They will be held by Zoom and will be charged at £50 per person per session. This will be one of the most important investment decisions you make during the coronavirus crisis. Spaces are limited as they will take the form of a presentation followed by a surgery.
Please contact [email protected] for more information. Or call Kelly on 07736 744797.