Being a leader is not easy and being an effective one is even harder. Sometimes the challenge lies in determining the best course of action, while other times, the challenge is in knowing that the decision you need to make is going to be an unpopular one. At times, doing the right thing gets you praised and promoted; other times, you are burned in effigy. The test is in making the right decision regardless of the result, knowing that integrity is always the right choice.
When the pandemic was just starting to make daily headlines, leaders scrambled to lead effectively, figuring out work from home plans and how the hell to create breakout rooms in a Zoom meeting. As changing information became the norm, the consistent message on how to lead successfully through this crisis was to communicate, communicate, communicate. People needed reassurance, transparency, and humanity to adapt to the many changes and all the emotions that came along with them. As leaders, it was our job to provide that reassurance, transparency, and humanity.
And then George Floyd was murdered.
Many of the same leaders who had followed the advice to communicate, communicate, communicate as quickly and frequently as possible during COVID19’s upheaval, suddenly fell silent. Many remain silent still.
Why?
Do they believe that silence is the best course of action?
Do they think the issue is just too volatile?
Are they afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing?
Is it all just too uncomfortable for them?
What about you?
SILENCE IS NOT THE ANSWER
Whatever the reason, silence is not the answer. If fact, it is one of the most damaging plans of action you can take. Despite hopes for the contrary, silence during this time will not shield you or protect you and it will not go unnoticed. Your staff are watching, waiting, begging for you to speak up. This moment in time is going to determine not just how others view you as a leader, but how they view you as a human being. Your words and actions during this time will not just impact your legacy as a leader- they will define it.
What happened and what is happening is affecting those you lead personally and professionally. This must inform your leadership response. Through the confusion and uncertainty, there is great opportunity in how you adapt to the changes that need to be made, many of which could have and should have been made long ago. Your leadership demands that you acknowledge what is going on, support your staff as human beings, amplify your team’s voice, and respond through action.
There are countless strategic actions you can take as a leader right now, and many will depend on the specifics of your organization. What is true for all of us is that we must speak up and then take action. We must do both and we must do so as quickly as possible. Too much time has already passed. If you have waited this long, acknowledge that too.
THE FIRST STEP
The first step in speaking up is acknowledging what is going on and creating a space for staff to share or not. How will you use this time to begin an honest and ongoing internal conversation with your team? How will you use your role and your voice, and how will you encourage and empower your team to use theirs? How will you acknowledge your leadership mistakes of the past and atone for them to move forward? How will you lead by example and with integrity?
As a leader, you also have the obligation to examine yourself and your organization in terms of how your values, beliefs and actions are causing harm and what must be done to remedy that. What are you doing or not doing that is contributing to what is going on right now? Where is there not just opportunity for change, but a necessity for it? How can you take ownership and responsibility for where you have fallen short and how can you ensure it will not happen again? And then when it does, how you will do better when you know better? How will you involve your staff in the process?
EXTERNAL RESPONSE
It is also important to decide as a leader how you will respond externally. You may consider issuing a public statement, sending a mass email to your stakeholders, posting a response on social media, or placing an ad somewhere for the world to see. However you declare it, you must first internally examine and determine who you are as an organization and where you want your corporate time and dollars to go. You must take this moment to do more than check off the buzzy, often burdensome task of corporate philanthropy, and really reflect as a leader and an organization on how to embrace your corporate responsibility to the greater good. What causes are you supporting and why? How are you supporting them? Who gets to decide?
A WORD OF CAUTION
A word of caution as you begin and continue to speak up and take action- you do not have to say and do the perfect thing, but you have to be careful not to say the stupid thing; the ignorant thing; the counterproductive thing; the insensitive thing. Work with your HR if you have one. Work with your staff, not on behalf of them to come up with a good plan. Empower your staff to be a part of the plan but do not place a burden on them to make it happen- they are already carrying too much.
As you discuss, strategize and implement, create space for others to disagree and call you out. Admit when you make a mistake. Take accountability through your words and your actions. Hold other people accountable too. Do not let willfully ignorant or egregious behavior continue.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Much like your response to COVID, your response to what is going on in the world right now is not reserved for this moment in time. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on mistakes you have made in the past and how to learn and grow from them going forward. Strive to become a better leader and organization and commit to doing this as a practice, through crisis and through everyday moments. Commit to constantly learning and growing.
So, what is your plan? What are going to say? What are you going to do? How are you going to make it a part of your leadership going forward? How will you make this a moment to truly lead? How will you support, listen to and empower your staff? How will you do this as an organizational and leadership practice? How can we help?
