Like most things, leadership qualities and skills can be improved through continuous focus and effective practice. When we purposefully work towards building our expertise in a particular area, subject, or profession; we go through certain phases of our learning in order to create better qualities and in this case, overall skills.
When looking at the fundamental steps to building strong leadership skills during COVID-19- it is crucial to find what areas in our leadership skillsets may have missing gaps when it comes to our knowledge and demonstration of the skills. Intellectually we “get” that we need to do certain things, we may even know how and why we need to do this; however, we may not be demonstrating this skill to our team. By taking a close look at our current state of leadership skills, we can then look at what areas of our skillset needs the most attention.
But what skills should leaders be putting their attention towards during COVID-19? The answer is simple- their communication efforts. During a recent study by Quantum Workplace, of 20,000 employees, it has been surveyed that 88% of employees believe that frequent communication from leaders has been more effective.
As the months go by and COVID-19 continues to impact businesses & people – it was found that communication from leaders has been more frequent, informative, and transparent. At most organizations, employees believe that leaders are doing everything they can to keep employees up to date and connected. Employees say their concerns are addressed in a timely fashion and that leadership has done a good job of expressing concern over employee safety and well-being during the pandemic.
COVID-19 has been a difficult presence in many of our lives. Many are feeling stressed, uneasy, and insecure of what is to come during this time. With COVID-19 affecting everyone in its own way- it has created a lot of stress and pressure in people’s lives and this is why communication from the leader’s perspective is essential right now. With more people working from home, or alternating weeks in the office, this requires stronger communication systems – such as formal and informal opportunities to check in, touch base and catch up to ensure workflow is on track and that individuals are feeling connected and informed.
The key ingredient to communication that is often missed at this time, is the essence of listening. This does not mean waiting to talk, as it can seem when we are virtually connecting; rather this means to truly pause, erase the thoughts racing through your mind and just listen. This can be done through email, phone calls or video chats and the action will demonstrate your interest in the individuals, by showing human connection, something seriously lacking in this new world.
Although these skills seem simple enough, we are facing a new type of “busy” in the work environment and many leaders are caught up in their own world and possibly unaware of the current situation of what could be happening with the individuals on their team, during this pandemic. It is crucial to continue communicating and listening to employees to maintain a positive and connected environment within the workplace
