Shawnee Love   •   March 27, 2020

A ship is safe by the shore, but that is not what a ship is for.

It’s a quote I have heard attributed to Albert Einstein and John A Shedd (author) but either way, the message has never spoken more loudly to me than today. That’s because it’s easy to be a “strong” team or a leader when times are good.  It’s during the challenging times when we learn what we are made of. Challenging times like now are what create leaders and test teams.

We can step up and come together or we can not.  I hope to be on the side of stepping up and bringing people together in whatever ways I can.  As we head into a weekend when many people won’t have work to distract them or colleagues to interact, your workers need you to Connect, Coach, Cheerlead and Counsel.

Today, take the time to:

Connect: Reach out to your employees and strengthen the relationships you have. Whether emailing, calling, video conferencing, messaging or whatever, communicating with your people is critical.

Coach: Guide, give support, and encourage performance with tips and instructions on how to stay safe, focused, and productive. This can be done one-on-one or in a group but is done to best effect if regular and your people know what they are working towards.

Cheerlead: Bolster and raise spirits in your team with positive news, recognition and thanks. A daily dose is required here and fortunately there are tons of good news stories and fun anecdotes, videos and images available at your fingertips online. Share and brighten your peoples’ days.

Counsel: Provide support on personal and professional concerns by asking how people are doing, listening and offering expertise and resources based on your knowledge and experience. Encourage positive and productive behaviours such as taking good physical care of themselves (sleep, food, exercise), and staying connected with friends, family and colleagues. Knowing you care will make all the difference.

Wear these 4 hats today to inspire your people and help keep their fear and isolation at bay.