Checklist: What a Team Needs From Their Boss (esp. During a Crisis)

It’s an unusual time for employees and bosses alike. Everyone is trying to cope with the chaos and, for teams, the disruption is a new territory. I created a checklist for managers that outlines what a team needs from their boss, especially during a crisis.

Settling into this quarantine feels both wildly weird and strangely calming at the same time. How can that be? Two ends of the spectrum if I think about it.

Wildly weird shows up for me like this (and perhaps you too?):
1. I am forgetting what it feels like to work away from a computer.
2. I have lost track of days and times that tell me when to work or eat or go to bed.
3. The "end" is not in sight nor feeling like it's going to be in sight any time soon.
4. I am feeling emotions to a degree I've never felt before.

Strangely calming shows up like this:
1. Multiple walks outside a day now seem necessary and normal.
2. Sitting on the couch with one child on either side doing mostly nothing is pure heaven.
3. Learning to accept this journey into the unknown (as in, what's totally out of my control).
4. A deeper faith that everything will be ok (my job, my family, my so-called life).

Tell me you are starting to feel your own version of strangely calming? I hope so.

And yet, wildly weird seems to override strangely calming more times than not. And if you happen to be managing other people, you've got not only your own weirdness to navigate, you've got your whole team coming at you while they too are trying to navigate what's wildly weird for them. It's compounded and sometimes, overwhelming for leaders of teams (and parents, and partners, and _______________ ).

I thought I'd share four things that may help tip the scale more to a calming side for you and the people on your team (or anyone else around you).

1. Communication: Good communication helps stabilize fear and uncertainty and provides clarity amidst the chaos. You know this I'm sure. But are you doing it...still, this week? Or were you really good at communicating in weeks 1-5 and now, perhaps you're slipping off a bit? Don't underestimate the power of your voice, your words, your presence, and your direct line of communication to ease people's tension and uplift their spirits. 

2. Flexibility: This is the magical key to any relationship, especially one that's now enduring a crisis. Continually ask yourself: "What does me being more flexible here look like?" and ask others: "What flexibility do you need here from me?" Every home situation is different, every employee’s tension is showing up in varying degrees, every person’s capacity to cope is being tested – you being flexible is a critical survival tactic for the whole team.

3. Authenticity: Now, more than ever, your team needs to see and feel the real you. Leading in a time of crisis requires more vulnerability than you might be used to. Be open and transparent as best as you can. It’s ok to say, "I don’t know" or "I’m stressed too." The gift we’ll all get coming out of this pandemic is a deeper heart-to-heart connection with the people around us. Lead how you would want to be led –with grace and compassion.

4. Rhythm - The universe is drawn to create order out of chaos and one of the ways it does this is through rhythm. We have the sunrise and sunset creating the rhythm of our day, tides shifting in and out, seasons declaring the year is marching on; rhythm helps us process chaos by giving us a structure and an expectation. Your team, too, could benefit from established rhythm to help them feel less chaotic and uncertain. Is there a rhythm to your team meetings? Can you put a set cadence to one-on-ones with each person on your team? Rhythm is calming for most people, I’d imagine more so in a time of crisis.

I’m not sure the exact formula for survival in all this craziness, but I am sure if we aim to do our best every day, that’s surely got be enough for now.

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