Mindful Leadership in Times of Crisis III

In our last two blogs, we talked about what it takes to be a mindful leader in times of crisis, and
in today’s blog, we continue to discuss ways that we can build support and connectivity into our
teams as we work remotely. The spread of coronavirus has limited our communication and
social lives, at least their typical methods, so now we have to get creative about making new
ways to connect with our teams. Challenge yourself to try some of the items below to motivate
and empower both you and your team!

1. Be a trusted leader: Teams want a leader they can trust, depend on, and believe in. For
that to happen, it requires a leader who is confident and competent, decisive, and who
intentionally communicates clear direction and hope.

2. Briefly check-in with individuals: Never underestimate the power of a brief “hello, how
are you,” or an “I’ve been thinking about you” text message. Make it personal by asking
about their family, or lighten the mood by asking if they have enough toilet paper.

3. Make and share short videos: Make a 30-second clip of yourself of you at your desk,
over lunch, or interacting with your family or pets. Make your story brief but authentic,
intimate, and humorous. Be vulnerable. You could ask if others are comfortable sharing
their office space, but even if you don’t, I bet someone else will follow in your footsteps
and make a similar video.

4. Ask for help: When you ask someone for help, it boosts their morale. People want to
contribute and feel valued. They want to give. Choose something meaningful that makes
a difference.

5. Hold a team meeting for listening and reflection: Have an utterly non-work meeting
that is an opportunity to check-in with your team as a group and to see how people are
holding up. Listen, reflect, and focus solely on how people are feeling. Based on what
you hear, you may want to check-in with an individual later.

6. Express gratitude: Thank colleagues for their daily effort, and not just when someone
knocks it out of the park. Show appreciation to inspire, motivate, and empower their
morale. It demonstrates you see them, and they make a difference in these unsettling
times. A daily gratitude practice will even boost your own confidence!

7. Try using some of these motivational questions to lead a team meeting: “How have
you handled crises in the past?”, “What’s worked well and what hasn’t?” “What keeps
you going in times of hardship?” “What new coping skills or strengths have you
discovered?” “Have you experienced a situation in the past that seemed overwhelming,
but you got through it?” “How did you do that?” “How can you apply that in this crisis?”

8. Send out quick email, text, or video appreciations: Make it a personal goal to send out
five acknowledgments between your home and work lives, and see what happens. Make
seven the second week. After two weeks, tell a colleague or your team about your
experience. Challenge yourself to show appreciation to someone in your organization
you don’t know well, doesn’t report to you, and is not on your team. Try it with
someone you don’t particularly like. You can do it.

9. Hold a team meeting about insight: “Since you’ve been isolating, what have you
learned or discovered that’s significant, surprised you, or made you happy?” The
answers could be from their personal or work lives. A good tip for evoking insightful
responses is to share your own experience with the group before asking them to share
their stories. Maybe you can share something about your kids, an interaction you had
social distancing or how you used one of strengths at home.

10. Remember, it’s better to give: Remind yourself that in leadership and relationships, it’s
about what you give and not what you get. Keep that as a moral compass, and you will
find it is incredibly rewarding.