Practicing Flexibility Now Will Help Managers Later
Welp, just when we thought life was going to stabilize, COVID takes another turn. I truly hope you are staying sane and healthy as the weeks wear on.
It seems this crazy time has been such a call for humanity to be flexible. I doubt there’s anyone on earth who hasn’t been tested to some degree on their flexibility with everything that’s spiraling around them.
Here’s where flexibility has been asked of us:
• Adapting to a new and different work environment
• Changing or canceling plans, outings, vacations
• Shifting our finances after furloughs, client loss, job and pay cuts
• Navigating the personalities, work/school loads, the drama of others in our house
• Handling emotions, stress and anxiety to a degree we’ve never felt before
APPLYING FLEXIBILITY TO WORK
Adapting to something new and different: We’re all creatures of habit stuck on the hamster wheel of our comfort zone. We like sameness. We like predictability. When something new comes along – a new boss, a changing process, a shifted workspace – we often have a hard time getting on the bus. This extended time in quarantine has honed a new skill in all of us. Recognize that you are now equipped with a higher capacity to bend and flex and roll with the punches, not because you wanted to because you HAD TO.
Changing plans: Having forward-facing plans is like a light at the end of the tunnel – it gives us something to strive for while adding an air of excitement around what’s to come. When every event, outing and vacation got put on hold, it’s like that light got snuffed out. There wasn’t anything to look forward to. And, what happened as a result? We got creative. You, like a lot of folks trapped inside, got creative with how you spent your blurred days and what you discovered you could do for fun. Games, walks, baking, crafts, making Tik Toks 😛. Limits put on our physical plans sparked a latent creativity gene in us.
Handling stressors: Listen, you are in the middle of a life experiment where the single biggest outcome you’ll walk away with is resilience. Resilience is like Magic Shell. Do you remember that ice cream topping from way back? You poured Magic Shell on your ice cream and it instantly got hard and formed a protective shell over your dessert. You too are learning to form a protective shell over the hardships. Resiliency means we're better equipped to handle difficult people and difficult situations. It means we’re getting stronger in our ability to cope with what's still to come. Despite how tough it is to go through what it takes to grow in resilience, it's a skill that will serve you over and over again.
Friend, you’re becoming a different (read = better ) person because of this world crisis. Don’t forget that.
You are more equipped to handle crisis. You are more able to flex and adapt. You are more creative in finding solutions and solving problems. You are more resilient to cope with what’s still to come. These are ESSENTIAL skills that, frankly, none of us may have ever honed had this pandemic never happened and ones that will continue to serve you at work (and in life).
PRACTICING FLEXIBILITY AT WORK
Here are a few tips to make sure you are continuing to strengthen your flexibility muscle:
1. When you start to get angered or frustrated with a co-worker think: “What does me being more flexible here look like?” Being able to consider what flexibility could add to the situation gives space for a win/win to emerge vs us staying rigid on our position or point of view.
2. Before you say (or type) something snippy or sarcastic, take one long deep breath and ask: “Does this really matter?” Resist the urge to insert negative energy into the mix, especially with stuff that's actually trivial in the grand scheme of things.
3. As you continue with a long-standing process or routine consider: “Is this still working for me/our team?” You may find it’s time to make a tweak or a shift to what’s been on auto-pilot mode.
I know it’s tough to be optimistic right now. Trust me, daily I have to check that I’m staying in positive belief mode because so many wrenches have been thrown at me and my business. Yet, if you stay focused on how the swirling chaos around you is serving to forge a more capable person, that might be enough to keep you believing in positive outcomes.
Like a diamond being forged out of coal…it took a whole heck of a lot of pressure to get there.
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About The Author
For the past two decades, Cecilia Gorman has helped advertising agencies and other creatively-minded companies fix costly communication and productivity issues by teaching managers how to become better connectors, motivators, and leaders. Cecilia is the author of Always Believe In Better, creator of the digital learning course for managers—Manager Boot Camp, and co-founder of the global training and support community for working women—Empowership. For media inquiries or to learn more about hiring Cecilia to speak at your organization click below.
