There are so many words that have been used in relation to 2020. Some of the more positive ones I’ve heard were compassion, caring, and engagement (particularly when we all felt we were ‘in it together’) and others not quite so rosy, like gruelling, relentless and exhausting.
Fast forward to early 2021 and many of these words continue to be used to describe what’s still going on for many of us. There’s now much more noise about fatigue and taking one day at a time, as the crisis continues.
The impact of the scale of change we’re experiencing means that we’re all having to continuously adapt at individual and organisation levels. But that also means that we’re seeing exhaustion showing up in many different ways – from change to compassion to pandemic, Zoom or even news fatigue.
I’ve seen fatigue show up in change many times before: often when organisations pile on too many change initiatives at the same time or long programmes that seem to go on forever and people can’t see a finish point. Some of the same responses are starting to appear in this crisis (if they’re not already showing up), like disengagement, frustration and a general feeling that “we just need to keep going.” Running around being very busy but not particularly effective, can be another clear indicator – and productivity can tumble as a result.
As a result of everything we’ve faced so far, a recent McKinsey report states that, “…organisations and employees are entering a prolonged period of disillusionment, grief and exhaustion that could last as long as two years.”
This isn’t just grief and exhaustion related to deaths and illness – it’s also about our responses to ways of life that have changed significantly and the realisation that some of our pre-2020 way of life may be gone forever as a result of this crisis.
The very real challenge now is that none of us are clear where the end point of this crisis is, and we’re stuck in what feels like perpetual transition. What’s happening in the workplace is only one aspect of the upheaval we’re all dealing with.
“75 percent of employees in the United States and close to a third in the Asia–Pacific region report symptoms of burnout. European nations are reporting increasing levels of pandemic fatigue in their populations. The number of those who rate their mental health as ‘very poor’ is more than three times higher than before the crisis, and mental-health issues are still likely to rise”
So, with all this in mind, what can leaders and individuals do to help themselves and their organisations work through this?
Listen, listen, listen… and do something
I’m a massive fan of the power and insight that good listening can bring and I’m an even bigger fan of continuously listening and doing something with what you learn.
When you listen carefully and put yourself into a curious – and not judgemental - mindset you can learn a huge amount about what’s going on with friends, colleagues, teams and a wider organisation.
Remember – everyone goes through change at a different pace, so if you listen carefully to what’s really being said and the words that are being used, you’ll hear where someone is in their own change journey. You might spot themes that might be developing too. You can then move to action, and people are more likely to come with you.
Adaptability matters
In a talk I gave recently for the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and the Association of Project Managers, I stressed how we’re working in change projects against a backdrop of huge and unfamiliar change. Leaders, teams and individuals who can learn to adapt in this environment and so become more resilient, will arguably be able to respond better in the coming months and possibly years, with the challenges that will fall out from the pandemic.
There are practical approaches you can take to building adaptability for yourself or your teams. This could include planning in resilience and wellbeing when you start change projects, through to specialist coaching and training that can help shift mindsets.
Think – and communicate - hope tempered with realism
In the book ‘Good to Great’, Jim Collins shares an account of meeting Admiral Jim Stockdale, the highest-ranking US military officer in the ‘Hanoi Hilton’ prisoner-of-war camp during the height of the Vietnam War.
When Collins asked how Stockdale dealt with his situation when he didn’t know the end of the story (in a similar way we’re facing with the pandemic), the Admiral replied, “You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end – which you can never afford to lose – with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”
Others, who pinned their hope and optimism on release dates, were those who Stockdale said ...”died of a broken heart”.
So, if you’re trying to balance optimism and reality in your leadership and communication, remember the Stockdale Paradox – keep the faith and at the same time, confront and accept reality. If you apply this mindset, it follows that you – and your teams – will be more adaptable to what’s going on around you.
An example of how this might look and sound can be found in this speech by the Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
Leadership wellbeing matters
The word ‘wellbeing’ has gone stratospheric and its importance cannot be underestimated. If you are leading a team in any guise (and that includes a family!), remember that first and foremost you have to take care of yourself before you can look after anyone else.
By doing that, you can set a good example for others too. So, put on your oxygen mask first.
Pause and prioritise
When you’re starting something new or you’re working on a regular project – say, sharing a quarterly report - take a pause and think about what’s really needed to deliver the desired outcome you’re after.
I often try to consider an approach from agile working, the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) where you think about things from the perspective of a team collecting “the maximum amount of validated learning about customers, with the least effort” (Eric Ries, pioneer of the Lean Startup movement).
If you’re working on a quarterly report for example, ask those people who get your report what they really need to know and how they want it. And then deliver that. Make it a habit to keep asking for feedback. Check any other data you can get your hands on that will give you feedback too. And then scale your approach accordingly.
Right now everyone has too much on their plates and there’s only just about enough energy to go around.
If you focus on people and on your leadership of people as human beings, everyone’s energy will be focused on the things that will really make a difference.
I now offer tailored workshops and coaching to support leaders and managers who are navigating change and want to improve their - and their team’s - wellbeing. Get in touch with me here to find out more.
Other content you might find interesting
https://www.twistconsultants.co.uk/blog/2019/5/11/wellbeing-why-it-really-matters-in-change
https://www.twistconsultants.co.uk/blog/do-you-have-a-listening-problem