Brother Richard Hendrick, a Capuchin Franciscan living in Ireland, penned a touching poem about coronavirus. He shared “Lockdown” in a Facebook post on Friday, March 13. Since then, it has gone viral.
Lockdown
by Brother Richard
Leaders who stay calm in a crisis have superior results than those who get caught up in the anxiety. We’re all being tested by this with the escalation of COVID-19 cases.
Whatever messages you’re providing to your staff, it’s important to create an emergency plan so that you aren’t caught off guard.
I was doing a presentation for a client this week and was intrigued by a meeting taking place near them in the conference center. Many of the attendees were wearing clothing with a zebra motif, which was certainly attention getting.
I saw blouses, scarves, a bow tie and suspenders, and even a plush zebra jumpsuit and formal man’s suit.
Do your employees’ work habits support or detract from your business? Are they slated for strong performance in the future?
Be honest when you think about your answer to this. Leaders who ignore the impact of the detractors can find themselves in a downward spiral when the pressure is on.
We’re almost at the end of 2019 and holiday madness has reappeared. You know what I’m talking about: year-end deadlines, more holiday parties than your feet can handle, and general over-commitment.
The result? More stress, more tension, and more anxiety which creeps into the very fabric of our organizations.
Most of my clients are hiring new employees and finding it much more difficult than it was several years ago. The main reason? Full employment. As much as they want to attract top quality candidates, it’s much tougher today.
This will sound like a sweeping generalization (and it is), but most candidates who have been unemployed for more than a few months without a reasonable explanation are out of work because they’re just not that talented. Of course, there are exceptions, but at 3.7% unemployment…well, you do the math.
When you’re stuck, emotions often take over your otherwise rational approach to problem-solving. You may think that a particular task or initiative may be the obstacle, when in reality an underlying emotional hindrance is the real culprit.
Your ability to reframe the emotional issue will help you break through to a solution. The key is identifying the what is really getting in the way. Here are a few of the more common emotional obstacles:
I was in a ride-sharing car with a timid driver (not a pretty sight in New York City!) in heavy traffic. I heard a siren closing in on us, and we were pulled over by a policeman. He admonished the driver for running a red light, took the driver’s license and registration, and disappeared into his patrol car for 17 minutes.
He gave the driver a ticket, as was totally predictable, but on lesser charges which should have been good news for the driver. But for the rest of the ride, the driver obsessed over the ticket and didn’t pay attention to doing his job. He behaved like a victim and spewed anger for the rest of the ride.
There is nothing better than planting yourself in the sand with the sun beaming down and waves crashing against your feet. Until of course, your email dings, your phone buzzes, and your head is filled with worries about how work is going in your absence.
As Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, this topic is top of mind. Many leaders are reluctant to take off a few days or even a week for vacation because they fear what might happen in their absence. Here are some tips for effective coverage so that you can enjoy your time away.
Last week’s topic was on the importance and value of delegating. I received a comment from a client who raised the issue of what to do when the person to whom you delegated messes up.
Great question, but tricky answers.
Managers don’t want to get burned, so of course they avoid getting too close to fire. But if you’re in a management or leadership role, you are responsible for overseeing work assigned to others. Here are some thoughts on why delegating can backfire and some solutions to minimize future episodes.