You are an expensive, gorgeous car

It’s been six weeks since we went into COVID-19 but it sure feels like six months to me. How about you?

I visited my Dad yesterday and it felt so good to see and hug him again (in person!). Have you caught up with any family and friends you haven’t seen since iso began? How did you go?

Driving back home from Dad’s, it seemed like life was finally moving to a new normal and I felt an urgency to film a wrap-up video on the 7+ tips for you and get onto talking about “Now what?” Further momentum to do this was coming from last week’s client coaching conversations which all had a strong drive to stop and review where they and their team have been so that they could answer the even bigger question: “Where to from here”?

So I think it’s time to start looking forward… beyond the immediate day-to-day demands of crisis change.

Watch my video at the top of this post and read the #ConnectionKindness Tips Wrap-up plus LIFT’s recommended next steps below.

Wrapping up #ConnectionKindness

The basis of my tips was about being courageously curious. Some leaders needed to respond to the COVID crisis by moving into the command chain but it was still so (so!) important to stay curious with ourselves and our stakeholders.

This situation was one that we’d never seen before —  it changed work and home for everyone, almost overnight, and all at the same time — so there was no way to consult the operating manual and check on what we’d done before …. “last time / before” did not exist!

So we had to create imperfect agility: consulting, collaborating and becoming a facilitator in our leadership style.

Another tip I shared was about Third Space – the “airlock” between our home self and work self — which became even harder to maintain during lockdown for a number of reasons.

We also touched on replacing the non-verbals that we lost while online and no longer able to meet in-person.

I talked about leading without knowing the answers. (That’s what we need to do during significant change).

Listening less, and listening more was a double-edged tip that advocated not always taking everything in on the social and news platforms but listening more to your family and your work family.

We busted the leadership myth that you don’t need to be creative to be a successful leader (but you do need to be an agile one). You need to slow down to stem the rush of adrenaline, and bring back some of the fun and lightness in yourself and to your workplace when appropriate. On this, I covered the importance of not unwittingly getting sucked into the “All serious. All the time.” mindset because there are actually plenty of opportunities you can have fun where it’s not disrespectful or counterproductive — sometimes, quite the opposite.

Which brings us to now

In May 2020, WA is on a path to leading other States in opening back up and with that, we, as leaders, have a once-in-a-career opportunity.

BUT before we rush back to school. Before we rush back to driving our cars distracted or working long hours or not listening to each other…or not listening to ourselves. Before we go back to not connecting with our homes and our gardens and our neighbours. And before we rush back to the past… please STOP. I cannot say this strongly enough.

So, today/tomorrow take your shoes off in your lunch break and feel the earth beneath your feet. Actually, take a lunch break!

Stop and take time to answer these three Re-forming questions:

1. Where are you now? (Re-balance)
2. What are your COVID-keepers from home and work? (Re-align).
3. When you have those answers, then ask yourself: How will I combine the good stuff from the past *and* the good stuff since COVID-19? (Re-direct)

Please don’t just rush back to what you already had.

Explore what courage, connection and agility you will need to achieve this re-forming of yourself and re-forming of your team.

(It’s also important to consider these questions if you’ve very recently discovered — in this crisis! — that you’re a leader).

If the crisis brought up some conflicts and issues that have been long overdue for discussion, then see how you can have those conversations as part of your re-form.

*Remember, these skills apply to you at home, not just at work.

Recognise that there may be some grief in returning to the new normal. Some of us are returning to the office for the first time.

Some will have excitement and can’t wait to get back to work as it was but not everyone is happy about this. Some want to stay in the adrenaline filled crisis – they’ve trained for it. Some may be fearful or dreading a return to old ways or new ways or limbo. Perhaps some are concerned about a second wave or economic downturn. Some (perhaps you?) might be very unsure of what to do next.

Personally, I’ve been in most of these places. At first, I was enjoying the adrenaline and call to action, replanning our shopping/exercise/work and life. When I’d finished “doing” waaaaaay too much cleaning and decluttering… I started to feel a little fearful of longer term life in iso (aka too much thinking!)

Then I had a positive realisation of the opportunity I had to reflect on how I want my life to be and what I want to lead, influence and lift… in me, my home and work. Throughout, there were many varied feelings from limbo to purposeful with sad, mad and glad combined!  Most recently it’s been about getting clarity and creating a simpler, healthier life that’s more grateful, more fun and less rushing / stressful.

Wherever you are right now, as a leader it’s vital you get clarity to lead yourself and your team out of COVID-19. It’s the same process for individuals as for teams: Stop. Rebalance. Realign. Redirect. Check where you are now, where each team member is now and where your team/service/organisation is overall.

Balance your check-in between feeling, thinking and doing: the emotional, not just practical. For example, “What’re your priorities?” AND “How do you feel emotionally today?” or “What’s your energy level in coming back to work today?” AND “What're you working on that's going great/needs help?”

If you’ve worked with me before, you’ll know the value of using Stand Up Meeting questions to check-in on people’s “doing, feeling and thinking” status. Taking time to check-in is a simple effective form of refuelling!

I’m sharing these ideas with you now because, come August (just 3 months away), I want you to be able to reflect on COVID-19 as a time that you really led – at your best! And HOW you and your team come out of this change crisis now is more important than how you led in the last 6+ weeks.

Do you want to look back at the end of 2020 and be proud of how quickly you and your team recovered?  That you were calm and clear enough to see opportunities and were able to shape and reform your services, that you have started doing things differently for the future? If you do, then please take a PIT-STOP.

Yes, a pitstop to engage with your V Squad (if you’ve done work with me, you’ll know who this is; if not, then ask me!)

The one main reason people seek coaching is to have a safe space to just breathe, stop and unpack their brain. Only then can they review all the pieces that are swirling around them and get some clarity. In that pause, they finally tap directly into their intuition (because they do already know). It’s the swirling things around them that block that off their inner knowing.

Treat yourself like an expensive gorgeous car. One that’s taken you on the most amazing adrenaline charged adventure with highs and lows. Now you’ve arrived safely and you want to book in for a much needed and deserved wheel balance, re-alignment, refuel and navigation re-check.

You can book that pitstop today! For a limited time, just email me with “Wheel balance” in the subject line, and I’ll book you in for a FREE 15 minute, no obligation, conversation with an accredited leadership coach that specialises in “where to from here” (AKA: me!)

As always,

PS: Be quick and get my eBook, “Little Lifts - The Courage to Connect” while it’s still FREE because after 23 May, you’ll be too late! (Even if you’ve already signed up to my list, just enter your details into the form and you’ll be taken to the book download page).

PPS: Seriously, email me for your FREE 15 minute wheel balance and alignment pit-stop…. I can’t wait to talk with you!