Half-way Mark: a time to take a break, re-energise and celebrate progress

 

Easter weekend historically is a time when leaders give their crew a break and celebrate the beginning of the next stage in their journey. This year, it also represented a symbolic “halfway mark” in the C-19 Lockdown.

 

Recognising milestones, celebrating even small successes, rewarding achievements, and honouring symbolic events — are all key to effective leadership. They lift the collective spirit of men and women and bolster their endurance. As leaders have known for centuries, rituals and symbolism subconsciously anchor meaning, purpose, and respect. Respect for self, and respect for others.

 

Checking the pulse of team members: not relying on face value

 

What I’ve learned over the last two decades at ISL is that the best leaders don’t rely on face value. They know that behind all those masks projecting brave appearances may harbour a rather different reality — low Mojo, low morale, low engagement, low productivity, and possibly some dissatisfaction with their leader.

 

That’s why the best leaders verify that those in whom they place their trust live the embodied values, are resilient and ‘fit-to-lead’ — knowing deep down that if even one or two of these role models are feeling out-of-sorts, it can drain the energy and take the wind out of the sails of their team and all the other teams in their organisation. This puts them in the doldrums, holding them back from reaching their destination and from successfully achieving their mission.

 

Putting these principles into a practical C-19 leadership context: we need to empower our people so can we emerge with strength.

 

The wisest way forward, in my humble opinion, is to check the pulse and vibe of all of our teams in a safe and anonymous way, to find out ‘what we don’t know’. And then once we spot where the clouds are looming, we can shine some light, heal things up, and set about putting things right — so the entire crew can reinvent and make progress at the rate of knots.

 

This is particularly important at this “half-way mark” after a very busy two weeks going full bore. Many leaders and team members will have felt a bit flat over the weekend as adrenalin levels came back down over the four days of Easter — and as we reflected with disbelief over recent events, and wonder about how to navigate the days and months ahead.

 

Reinvent and repurpose: find ways to create revenue to kick-start the economy, support the community, and stay on true north.

 

Right now after this four day break, we face the challenge of reigniting our energy and that of our teams, and find new innovative ways of leading with purpose and meaning, whilst staying afloat and re-starting the economy — recognising that the commercial sector functions as ‘producers’ that ultimately fuel and fund the entire economy.

 

… I very much hope this musing will provide you with some food-for-thought to ponder as you enjoy your morning Nespresso and relish the last remaining toasted and buttered hot cross bun before your next 40-day sprint.

 

Refresh. Renergise. Review. Recreate.

Emerge with strength. Lead with passion.

New beginnings. New meanings. New ways.