Lover or Fighter?

As Mental Health Awareness Week draws to a close and our battle with COVID-19 continues its transition from lockdown to let lose, we find ourselves divided. It is important that we recognise mental fragility in the workplace as the longer-term consequences of the pandemic are only just starting to emerge.

The clarity of lockdown saw us all in the same boat, or at least if not in the same boat, certainly the same storm. However, with the easing of the lockdown situation, we are starting to see disharmony emerging. Some of us can’t wait to go out again, whilst others don’t really want to. Some of us are still happy to stay home only virtually connected to the outside world, whilst others are already pushing the boundaries by meeting up with multiple friends. Some remain worried about the virus and the possibility of an increased risk as the guidelines are relaxed, whilst others are more concerned about the economy and the risk to their business than they are with any potential risk to their health.

It is at these times of uncertainty that we seek reassurance; this is when good leadership is most essential. Good leaders are those who have already sensed the change and have adapted their management techniques to meet the evolving needs of their staff.

The TUC, which claims to be the voice of Britain at work, states that Coronavirus does not discriminate – but the UK job market does, and it is this additional complication that further divides us as a nation. The nursing teams whose job it is to care for us at this time of need are employed and paid, pandemic or not. Teachers, on the other hand, are not normally requested to place themselves at risk and are employed and paid to keep our children safe whilst educating them and preparing them for the next stage in their development. Safeguarding is now top of the agenda in all school meetings and considered to be as important as a child’s need for learning. No matter where we work or what we do, we’re all at risk, but now the crisis has exposed, and exacerbated, the inequalities and inconsistencies and this is undermining the camaraderie which developed at the start of the crisis. Ensuring our teams emerge intact from this next phase, both physically and mentally, will test our leadership skills further.

Surprisingly, the ‘we’ll fight them on the beaches’ battle cry leadership style, so successful at the start of the crisis, is less effective as we enter this next phase. As Churchill discovered at the end of the war, politics in peacetime requires very different qualities. Churchill effectively made himself redundant as the military victory was, by far, his most important goal and he had practically ignored the party politics which left him without a clear sense of purpose and direction; therein lies a lesson to us all.

The qualities of good leadership often seem more explicit during a crisis, single-mindedness, a great asset during a national emergency, is generally only effective for short time. So, is good leadership different in a crisis?

The qualities of effective leadership are not defined by external forces, such as the pandemic. Effective leaders are flexible, they explain, influence, and rally their team to achieve strategic goals, despite sometimes confusing or complicated scenarios, crisis, or no crisis. Covid-19, whilst extreme, is primarily no different to any other significant challenge to the business. Anything that imposes stress and pressure on a team needs to be managed well, whilst the focus remains beyond the present, towards a clear and more promising future. Although the stress and pressure may be of different degree than the current pandemic, how leaders respond to those challenges remains constant.

During time of crisis, it is tempting to start cutting costs, particularly staff training and leadership development programmes. It is understandable, when everyone is busier than ever, and there are severe cost pressures. However, during these uncertain times, staff development and team building are more important than ever.

Whether, in your heart of hearts, you are a Lover or a Fighter doesn’t really matter, providing you recognise the need to adapt to this next phase. Teams will be looking for empathy and understanding, clear direction and support and, above all a commitment to the health and welfare of those they are responsible for.

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