Leading During COVID-19
Reflections from the directors of Ascender & Global Wordsmiths.
No one was prepared for the last 3 months. This is new territory even for the most experienced individuals. Some time into the crisis, I called up Mary Jayne McCullough, Ascender member and director of Global Wordsmiths, to compare notes on how we’ve been managing through this pandemic. It was validating to hear I’m not the only one trying to figure this out so I’m sharing this to offer the same.
Leadership in a time of COVID is not uniquely difficult. During uncertain cash flow runways, pandemics, wars, and recessions…as a nation we’ve been through uncertainty and hardships before. At least that’s what Mary Jayne and I tell ourselves in order to find resilience in a time like this. As leaders, we are responsible for simultaneously guiding our organization and teams through this crisis while reconciling how we’re impacted personally. Our job is to draw strength from the challenges and see a future ahead.
The Stages of COVID Leadership Grief
As told by Mary Jayne
- Denial. This is like the flu. We shouldn’t worry as much.
- Anger/Sadness. Screw you coronavirus! I spent years of my life building this and it was going so well. We were just taking off. We just hired X. We were going to surpass $X in revenue!
- Helplessness. How will we get through this? It feels like it’s impossible.
- Survival. Researching, applying for all the funding, meeting with the team, thinking of ways to pivot. Panic and bargaining. How many months of rent can we pay? How much can we shave off?
- Acceptance. The world is a different place now. How do we adapt?
On Being Strong
Self-affirmations have helped me get through my anxiety and imposter syndrome. Remembering all the times I thought I couldn’t do something and instead excelled helps relieve the fear of navigating challenges. Burnout in leaders is not the workload, it’s the self-imposed pressure and belief in the lie that we have to get it right the first time, every time. Even past failures no longer feel like doom when looking back at them. Instead, they represent a learning experience so much part of our current identity; we are better today because of them.
For Mary Jayne, she recognizes the temptation to give in to shutting her business and starting a new one after the pandemic. Running a business during this time is harder than ever before. But she thinks about what is at stake — the time, money, sweat she and her team have spent. Not to mention the many people who have relied on Global Wordsmiths for interpretation and translation services. What about the 4 people who have mortgages or rent to pay and families to support. That’s what she keeps coming back to. She has to be there for them. Be strong for them.
All a leader can do is their best, one day at a time. This includes giving permission to be in a funk, to feel sad or unsure — take a mental health day. But at some point we have to find the strength, even in doses, because how else can we make decisions, lead our teams, plan for the future, or put out fires? We are relied upon so we have to figure out how to deliver while remembering we are humans too.
On Teamwork
Be transparent. Sharing from the beginning our financial runway, staff changes, and the various potential outcomes have built trust and loyalty with my team. It’s hard to tell how much to say, but as a leader you need to remember what it feels like to be an employee. Showing vulnerability has brought us closer. Mary Jayne shared, “Sometimes I am sad but don’t see exposing my emotions as a weakness but rather showing empathy for what they are going through and for being real with them in a way that gives them more faith in me.” As a leader, taking mental health days and sharing in-part how we feel can validate the mental toll they may be experiencing.
Leaders are only as good as their teams, so empower them. It is our responsibility to increase the autonomy, ownership, and responsibility of them because that’s how an organization thrives. Check the ego at the door and accept that we can benefit from the expertise of those we supervise. Something as simple as saying “I trust your judgment on this,” goes a long way and encourages them to do their research. Mistakes are bound to happen and leaders have to calculate which are worth the team development. When things don’t go super well, I ask first for their reflection before inserting mine — this helps them build a critical eye of their own. Lastly, when I want something changed, I always give the reasoning behind it so they can learn the larger thinking and adopt it for themselves. This is servant leadership.
Don’t forget to have fun! Zoom happy hours, pajama Friday, joint online coloring book. This fosters more positive attitudes, develops stronger relationships, and relieves stress (which is particularly important now). Take a page out of Mary Jayne’s handbook and order tacos and margaritas to each team members’ home.
Being the leader of an organization is one of the hardest things I’ve done professionally thus far. But sharing my experience with others like Mary Jayne reminds me I’m not alone in my experience. We all sometimes beat ourselves up before even getting in the ring and we all know more than we give ourselves credit for. It takes thoughtful leadership of your team and even more self-awareness to do this right. I thank the challenges of this role and even COVID for the strength they build in me now and for the future ahead.
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