LEADERSHIP IN A TIME LIKE THIS

(HOW TO DEAL WITH THE DYNAMICS OF THE PANDEMIC AS A LEADER)

INTRODUCTION

We are not oblivious of the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic and it associated challenges on people, economy, business, finance, health etc. And how leaders swift into taking responsibility and influencing appropriate decision in a time like this determines the future, either blur or clear.

Ben Franklin who once observed: There will be plenty of time to sleep once you are dead., this is not to scare us but to reawake the relentless feature in our leadership journey.

Remember, Leadership isnt just for CEOs, Political Office Holders, Army Generals, and Clergy. Leadership is for EVERYONE.

And with all the cataclysmic change in our society right now, leadership has become the single most important master skill for success in business and politics. Leadership isnt only something to do at work. We need to practice leadership within every arena we play. To arrive at our greatest lives, its ever so important to model leadership in our health, demonstrate leadership with our loved ones, reflect leadership around our finances, and live leadership within our communities. And most essentially, the foundation of it all is self-leadership. If you cant lead yourself, youll never be able to lead anyone around you.

IN A TIME LIKE THIS 

* TURBULENT TIMES BUILD GREAT LEADERS

I will persist until I succeed. I was not delivered into this world into defeat, nor does failure course my veins. I am not a sheep waiting to be prodded by my shepherd. I am a lion, and I refuse to talk, walk, and to sleep with the sheep. I will persist until I succeed. - OG Mandino

Just keep in mind that difficult days never last, but strong people always do. Those hard conditions are nothing more than chances to become heroic. And that challenging times in both business and in life are incredible opportunities to transform mess into success.

Problems are only problems when we make them problems. Victims cry, Why me? Leaders, on the other hand shout, Its up to me!

* A FEARLESS LEADER

Only the mediocre die always at their best. Real leaders are always improving and raising their bar on how superbly they can perform and how quickly they can move. - Jean Giraudoux

Despite the economy repercussion and set back due to this pandemic, as leaders our razor-focus and dogged determination to make impact in our society can only be realistic if we scrutinize the peculiarity of the present assumed predicament.

Those following you must always see strength in you to keep them going in this dreadful period, as a young entrepreneurs in partnership business, in the period of restricted movement lockdown, we conducted some background study on things to diversify to and things to improve on after pandemic and today, these are the things that sustaining the business and makes the business a going concern. And small businesses looking up to our business are hopeful because were not prioritizing our weakness. Keep moving forward.

Workers, friends and family will look up to leaders for guidance and reassurance in a time like this, give it to them intentionally.

‘SPARK’ INTERPRETATION FROM THE BOOK - THE LEADER WHO HAD NO TITLE 

This will help in dealing with the dynamics of the pandemic as a leader.

Leading has so much to do with being a light in a dark and turbulent world. Everythings so negative during these times of high-velocity transition. Everyones so worried. Everyones walking around in a state of real fear with no idea what the future will bring. What we need in business right now are more people who are truly bright lights. Who show others a clear and hopeful way. Who are real sparks in all that they do.

S - SPARK stands for Speak with Candor.

Leadership has so much to do with being a pristine, truth-filled, and inspirational communicator. In topsy-turvy times, theres a natural tendency to hold back on candor, speak in vague generalities that mean nothing but preserve the status quo, and essentially talk in a way designed to protect your turf. But the problem with communication like that is that it breeds mistrust. The people around you would rather hear the truth as to the way things really are than some plastic sloganeering that you do to avoid confronting reality.

P stands for Prioritize. 

With all the turbulence in business now, its so easy to get disconnected from your mission, vision, values, and goals. When things feel like they are falling apart, theres a powerful pull to get nailed by the seduction of distraction. But Leaders stick to their knitting. They stay centered upon only whats truly most important. They have the mission discipline to stay grounded on their fundamentals. And they work and live by a simple idea: Focus on the Best and Neglect All the Rest. Operating by this mantra alone is one of the main secrets to their astounding results.

A stands for Adversity Breeds Opportunity. 

One of the best things I can share with you is the idea that every setback carries with it an even greater opportunity. Every curse has a corresponding blessing. Every seeming failure brings with it some gift some doorway that if you have the eyes to see it and the courage to walk through it will make you even more successful than you were before the difficulty. 

When its dark enough, you can see the stars, goes an old proverb. What Im really encouraging you to remember is that each piece of adversity also carries with it a new source of good.

And that for every dream that dies, a better one can come to life. You just need to retrain your brain to re-perceive it that way. Problems are really nothing more than platforms for even brighter possibilities. In truth, no condition is either bad or good. It just is. The way we perceive it makes it bad or good. The excellent news is that perception is within our control.

Remember that the strongest and most powerful of leaders were all built by struggle and setback. Adversity unleashes noble boldness in each of us if we allow it to. Getting bloodied, discouraged, and knocked down are just parts of the process of doing business during these times of dramatic change.

R will remind you to Respond versus react 

When turbulent times hit. The trap a lot of business people fall into when challenges show up is to get so panicked that they spend their work hours fighting five-alarm fires. They get up in the morning, go off to work, and waste all their time being reactive. Rather than rising above all the confusion, they get sucked into being a part of it. They become part of the problem rather than showing leadership by becoming the source of the solution. Dont make a habit of reacting to challenges at work, dude. Become a master at responding to them. Be grace under pressure. Stop worrying about all the things you cant control and dedicate yourself to improving the areas you can control. Take initiative. And showing initiative just means that you are the person on your team who starts things. Be a go-getter.

K stands for Kudos

Being a Leader involves being inspirational and uplifting in a world that all too often celebrates the worst of things. Itll remind you to shine a light on people. Itll help you remember that people need to be appreciated for even the smallest things that they do in the face of adverse and stressful times. Real leadership has so much to do with applauding others when they are doing things right. Now as you give greater kudos to your teammates, remember that few of us know what to do with sincere praise. But just because your praise might not be fully received doesnt mean your praise shouldnt be well delivered.

In conclusion, the only thing you really need to become a leader is to be a breathing human being. If you can breathe, you can lead. Also as earlier stated, Problems are only problems when we make them problems. Victims cry, Why me? Leaders, on the other hand shout, Its up to me!.

Credit to Tobi H. Optimistic

Daniel A. Oluwayiose

Feeding the MIND... to better the WORLD