Caught between a rock and a hard place
I asked last time ‘What are the cultural shifts you’re seeing?’
One of the difficulties in answering is individual’s responses have varied enormously.
This is called ‘behaviour magnification’. We have seen extremes of behaviours and emotions across staff on the ‘front line’ with all their challenges and all-too-real fears, those supporting from ‘afar’, to those furloughed.
We all respond differently to perceived threat and challenge. Within the same organisations, and even teams, people have been both thriving and suffering.
How can you lead and communicate in the midst of these varied responses, with emotional intelligence, yet often under personal stress?
How can we help leaders hold, and in time realign, people with such contrasting responses?
How can you bring together staff from the ‘front line’ with all their fears and memories, and those supporting from afar — often in turn frustrated and even feeling guilty?
Leaders need to lead and communicate, through the crisis, to people right across this spectrum.
They need great emotional intelligence yet are often under personal stress. In an interview the great advice from Jacqueline Totterdell, CEO of St George’s Hospital, is to be “Brave and Calm”.
How can you be brave and calm?
Lets pick that theme up next time. In the meantime if you would like more help schedule a time to speak here.
Take care.
