March Roundup: Leading in Turbulent Times, Teamwork Right Now, and More

Leadership Advice for Uncertainty and Challenging Times

Most of us find ourselves in unchartered territory right now with the COVID-19 crisis and its impact on our families, communities, businesses, and world. The unknown can be unnerving and fear-inducing if we let it. It can also be an opportunity for heightened creative thinking, more authentic connection and courageous leadership.

“In uncertain and turbulent times, accepting that challenge is the only antidote to chaos, stagnation, and disintegration. Times change, problems change, technologies change, and people change. Leadership endures.” – Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner (The Leadership Challenge Fifth Edition, page 1)

Read leadership advice for leading people through uncertain times.

Teamwork Right Now Requires Communication + Trust

Getting and receiving feedback is a powerful behavior for leaders to practice that becomes even more critical during times of change and disruption.

Just like individual leaders, teams can also support each other and achieve more by providing feedback to each other. A team leader helps create the environment where the team readily, effectively, and vulnerably gives and receives feedback to each other.

How can teams focus on communication and trust now, especially when many teams are working fully remote for the first time? Start practicing feedback within the context of the five behaviors we discuss in our blog.

Learn more about fostering communication and trust with your team right now.

What We're Reading

How to Succeed in the Age of Online Learning – With the huge shift we're experiencing in the culture, location, and timing of work, L&D pros have the advantage of being able to move in-person development to online platforms. Here are some tips to help.
During Tough Times, Don't Forget to Recognize and Thank Employees – Partner and cofounder Andrea Davis shares her thoughts on how you can recognize and engage your employees, especially if you have a team that's new to working apart from each other.
How the Coronavirus Is Already Rewriting the Future of Business – Harvard Business School experts offer insights on how they think the pandemic will change how companies do business.
Navigating Times of Crisis as a Leader: Advice from Jim and Barry – Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, co-authors of The Leadership Challenge, share six pieces of advice for coping with adversity and the challenges we're facing.