Blog #251
I believe our collective consciousness is slipping into a funk. People are becoming tired of being cooped up. They are frustrated, nervous about the civil unrest, scared about a resurgence in the pandemic, worried about their job or finances, and all the uncertainty that comes with these concerns. In other words, we are in a funk.
I frequently see this with the leadership teams I advise. I think most people, including leaders, are not even aware of the funk they are in. As I have mentioned before, during this unprecedented time, leaders can really earn their stripes. It is important to ensure you and your leadership team are being proactive, not reactive. Keep in mind that the energy and mood of an organization often come directly from the senior leadership team.
When a leadership team is positive, pragmatic, and happy, it is likely that the rest of the organization is as well. If the leadership team is negative, frustrated, and grumpy, it cascades throughout the entire organization. Although this funk can be incredibly hard to see or even acknowledge at times, the combined effect can lead to significant impacts on the organizational efficiencies, team health, and the bottom line.
Below are three simple steps leaders can take to help boost their teams’ well-being and eliminate that funk!
- Acknowledge it is possible. Taking the time to step back to see the state of the organization is important. During times of crisis, it is even more important for senior leaders to take sanity and clarity breaks. And it is just as crucial for your team to do the same. Specifically, I encourage you to spend one hour (at least once a week) to simply think. Go for a walk or sit quietly without any electronic devices. Use this time to do a check-in with yourself and your team; discover how you personally feel, identify your mood or mindset, and how it is reflected in your actions with the team. Next, consider how your team is doing, determine if anyone needs additional support then reach out and take action to assist.
- Celebrate victories. Too often as a team, we forget to put energy into celebrations. There is so much doom and gloom in the media and on social platforms today, which can negatively affect our psyche and our productivity. Focusing more on the positive aspects will have an incredible impact on the team and oneself. Lead by example and use every conversation as a way of providing a compliment or positive piece of feedback to someone. Ask them to share with you two victories in their life (business or personal). This is a way for individuals to affirm the positives in their lives as well. Let your immediate team know what you are doing and encourage them to do the same with their team members. Again, focus on the positives, ask your team to share their victories, and be sure to personally “catch” your team being great. Then celebrate these victories together.
- Engage more. I like to call this “walking the floors”. Get out and engage with all departments in your organization. Be positive, be seen, and ask questions. This will go miles in providing comfort to the members of your organization. If necessary, schedule time to venture out of your office to check in with people, whether in person or virtually.
Of course, our day-to-day lives are strange now – making it even more critical to lead by example. Empower others to adjust their thinking to knowing that everything is going to be okay.
Because it will be.
Is your team in a funk? As leader, are you interested in learning how to junk that funk? We can help with that! Contact us today to find out how.
Keep Smiling,
Kris