Building your team’s resilience…
We need to get to know our team better than ever during these uncertain and unknown times. There are three main resilience factors to gauge:-
- Measure their levels of confidence
- Understand and ensure that they have disciplined routines of work
- Check in on how much family and social support they have
These factors then can create a resilience dashboard where you can check-in with each direct report and know how you need to top them up in certain areas.
The new challenges can shake individuals confidence and as a leader your job is to praise and acknowledge good decisions they are making. Actively convey faith in them and give them more responsibility and recognise mistakes as tools for improvement. Chat about how comfortable they feel with the video conferencing and share tips on making it work, and encourage telephone calls as well as video.
Understand how your team are working with new routines and ensure they have a good set up. Respect new working hours around home schooling and provide resources to make their job as easy as it can be in the circumstances.
The greatest gift you can give your team at present is empathy. Fully support and understand their family circumstances and be there as a listener.
Studies show that one of the best ways to foster resilience is through coaching.
COVID-19 has narrowed our ability to see the future, however studies show that the more you look at the long view the more resilient you are. Admiral Jim Stockdale who was held captive in the Vietnam war said the optimists who thought they would be rescued immediately died of broken hearts. The other prisoners who worked hard at being in captivity somehow made it work. There fore don’t be afraid to ask your team “What plans do you have in place for working remotely for longer…?” They might not like this question initially however the more comfortable and open you make the discussion the better initiatives will be put in place.
Look at talents you have within your team, can they share learning. Externally see what is on offer for your team with learning providers. Apply “Black box thinking” to mistakes encourage team members to review their failures and see them as learning opportunities.
The most resilient teams will be the one that improvise and they will emerge stronger as people and as a team.
Please do get in touch for coaching bev@nuggetsoflearning.co.uk
Please do also join the nuggets bookclub which runs every Friday @ 10.00am this week we will be reviewing “The Present” by Spencer Johnson.
