Strategies for Leading Through Difficult Times
Leaders have had a very tough two years, trying to reassure and focus employees in the face of constant uncertainty, often struggling with their own stress and burnout as they address the rising mental health challenges of their employees. How can they stay centered, providing a clear and upbeat message to their teams while having to pivot frequently as conditions change? Here are three practical strategies for leaders to take care of themselves, all centering around understanding and managing one’s own mind: Beware of your ego; choose courage over comfort; and practice caring transparency.
For the past two years, leaders have been performing a high-wire act: seeking stable footing while dealing with a disruptive and unpredictable pandemic, struggling to hire amidst a 15-year high in talent shortages, and revamping policies to meet employee demands for more flexibility at work. Multiple waves of coronavirus variants and an outbreak of war in Europe have left leaders in a daunting place — trying to reassure and focus employees in the face of constant uncertainty while having no real clue what will happen next. They are being told to “embrace uncertainty” as if that’s a natural and easy thing to do. (It’s not.) And their own struggles with stress and burnout often take a back seat as they address the rising mental health challenges of their employees.
