[1/3] Good leadership is the same, no matter where you are
A few weeks ago, Ramit Sethi tweeted a question about what we thought about the pandemic and how effectively the countries reacted to it. My answer was that sooner or later everyone will have to face the reality and grow up.
My thoughts were that this pandemic is a huge test of values and accountability of the people, the companies and countries – challenge on all levels all around the world.
These days everyone is struggling. Still no one knows how long the pandemic lasts, but it is clear that companies give different answers.
There are some who are already over the layoffs. Millions of people already lost their jobs.
Others decided to choose different ways. They are trying to take care of their employees, whatever it takes. They are also cutting costs but their last decision will be to let people go.
What do you think, which one will stand up quicker when the crisis is over? Why are they so different?
Leaders are struggling. They are struggling with confidence. It is hard to deal with ambiguity. They don’t have the answer what is going to happen with their company and the family.
Unclear thinking is a huge risk.
It is often heard now:
“I am sorry, the company had to make the decision. We let you go. You did a good job. Good luck!”
Some give different answers:
“We don’t know how long the pandemic lasts and how it affects the industry. We don’t have to know now. There are too many factors affecting it at this moment. The last people to ever have to worry about will be the people who are doing their best. There will be demand again for what we are doing and we are good in what we are doing. Soon, we will know where the industry is going. When it happens, you will be the first to know. In the meantime, I am not going to worry about that because we have enough other things to worry about.
We know that, if we are strong, if we are doing it well, if we are efficient – we are the one group that is taking on any new challenge.”
I get more and more CVs these days. The candidates highlight that they are looking for a company where they can feel being important and they are evaluated by performance. Decisions are based on facts and not corporate politics. When I look at their CVs, it is clear that they chose the wrong employers in the past.
I have built several teams in the past decade. In some cases I was asked to take over a team whose members were unmotivated and some was already on the lay-off list. Every time I got a team, we started clarifying where we were heading to and why and what it gives to the company and them as well. It usually starts slowly then the they gain momentum and deliver. Many of them are leaders building other teams by now.
There are companies in the world where their employees have been working there for an average of 20 yrs. This is true for the first company I worked for in Hungary and also true for the plant I visited in the States last year, where an operator told me that she has been working there for 40 years. She told stories about the good and the bad times. She was so proud. I was a toddler when she joined the company…
covid19 leadership culture values employeeengagement differentiate challengingtimes adaptiveleadership transformationalleadership principles companies leadershipchallenge