JOYFul Leadership in the Time of Digital Transformation

“The next 3-5 years will remind us that COVID-19 was the lightning before the thunder” *

This sentence in a Fast Company article, reinforced a creepy feeling that this pandemic will be a long-haul adventure. Looking through this lens, it may be likely that:

• economies will creep rather than bounce back, with many tanking;
• there may be no “back” – economic activity may not attain pre-COVID levels for a long time;
• the things and way we consume has changed, which has massive impact on our businesses;
• the way we live and work has changed, and the changes will last a long time;
• masks will be a permanent part of our wardrobe for years!

This all has implications for the way we lead. To my mind, the “new normal” is uncertainty – of everything! What is a leader to do? For do something we must. “Leadership is action, not position”!

Did you know that the Chinese symbol for “crisis” is the same as for “opportunity”? The fundamental function of leadership is to see the opportunities, despite a present that is bleak, a future that might be even bleaker, and that most people can’t see beyond, to give hope of a brighter future, and to provide forward momentum to keep the vision alive.

The root of the word “crisis” (Greek): krisis = decision. www.dictionary.com tells us that a crisis is a “condition of instability or danger, as in social, economic, political, or international affairs, leading to a decisive change.” A crisis is therefore a turning point or a time to decide, not to be paralysed. Our normal response in a crisis is to panic. We become paralyzed, not so much by what is happening but by our fear of what has happened in the past and what we think could happen in the future. The terrible thing about fear is that it feeds upon itself (the contagion effect), and soon everyone else is in a panic. One cannot see clearly in this state, for a state of fear clouds our vision and therefore our ability to make decisions. Ironically, this is the very time that we MUST make decisions!

I believe that there are 6 things a leader must do to create the space for calm, clear decision-making during times of crisis:

C = Communicate
R = Respect
I = Independent
S = Stay on message
I = Invincibility
S = Smile

C = Communicate: This is the time when the leader has to communicate to build community, to share news, invite feedback and gather information so that he/she can make better decisions, and have the team supportive of the decisions. Communicate via all media possible – in person, by e-mail, intranet, bulletin boards – fill all information voids early, for failure to do so will result in speculation and gossip, which is the food of fear. And never be afraid to say: “I don’t know” perhaps adding “but together we will figure it out”.

R = Respect the feelings and views of others. Allow people to vent their worst fears and insecurity. Listen more than talk. Suspend judgment. Just listen.

I = Independence – do not get pulled into the panic. I know a CEO in Jamaica who locks himself in the bathroom every morning and laughs for 5 minutes which puts him in a good mood that lasts throughout the day. This allows him to stay clear and focused, aloof from, yet observing the panic, and so able to make the tough decisions that these times require.

S = Stay on your message. Nothing must keep you from the message. Find something that resonates with your team, and stick to it. Every communication, every speech, every action must reflect this message. A good message to start with is: “This too shall pass”.

I = Invincible – help others to have courage, and the feeling that they can conquer the crisis situation. Remember that “courage means acting in spite of fear.” So even if you are fearful (and you should be), accept and embrace, even acknowledge it to your team. But make sure to take action … regardless!

S = Smile – many years ago I read a Time magazine article on Nelson Mandela’s 8 lessons of leadership. Lesson #6 was: “Appearances matter — and remember to smile”. The author made this observation about Mandela when he was running for President in 1994: “But more important was that dazzling, beatific, all-inclusive smile. For white South Africans, the smile symbolized Mandela’s lack of bitterness and suggested that he was sympathetic to them. To black voters, it said, I am the happy warrior, and we will triumph. The ubiquitous ANC election poster was simply his smiling face. “The smile,” says Ramaphosa, “was the message”.

Here are 6 steps you can take to lead your team through crises to opportunities:

1. Get yourself into a positive state. (SMILE)
2. Face your own fears – acknowledge what you are most fearful about right now, ask yourself how likely these fears are to be realised and then ideate different approaches for dealing with them. (BE INVINCIBLE)
3. Get clear on your message. Develop a mantra that brings hope, keeps you positive and that you share with your team. My personal mantra is “Ease, grace and Joy” – it has carried me through many a crisis! (STAY ON MESSAGE)
4. Stay present and focused. Don’t get caught up in the fray. Limit the endless rewinding of news (which by definition seems to be bad news) (BE INDEPENDENT)
5. Listen to your team. Invite them to share their own fears and their hopes too. Be vulnerable by sharing your fears, and then move to hope. Invite their input into exploring the opportunities, and together make it happen. (RESPECT OTHERS)
6. Communicate to build community. Let your voice be heard, and your face be seen. Do not delegate to others, especially bad news. Your team, your customers, your community will appreciate your courage. (COMMUNICATE)
7. And there’s a 7^th step – repeat daily!