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In Your Corner, Leadership and Change Management
How We Viewed the Pandemic Matters – A Lot
How we view what is happening to and around us makes a big difference. What we perceive drives how we think, how we respond, and what meaning we assign to it. If we perceive an event or action as a threat, we move to defend ourselves. If we see something happening that we think is an opportunity, we explore how we can exploit and benefit from it. If we believe something has nothing to do with us, we will likely ignore it and move on.
The pandemic offers a profound example of the difference our perceptions make in how we behave, especially from a leadership perspective. How we understood what was happening led us to define what options to explore, plans to develop, and actions to take. Now, looking back at what we hope is an experience that is largely behind us, we can begin to see the difference our perceptions have made in the way we responded, managed, and even leveraged the experience for our organizations.
If we perceived the pandemic as a temporary disruption, we were more likely to put in place temporary structures and strategies to help everyone survive until normalcy returned and old processes and practices could be reinstated. On the other hand, if we saw the pandemic as a break from normalcy that offered opportunities to develop, test, and apply new ideas and approaches, this was a time of excitement, flexibility, and learning. It was a time to grow, accelerate change, and build a new normal.
Seeing the pandemic as a temporary distraction likely meant that our leadership focused on making accommodations for needs, challenges, and expectations only to the extent they were demanded. If we understood the pandemic as a challenge to be met, we focused our communication and actions on imagining, innovating, and creating practices and approaches that would continue to serve the needs of learners well after the pandemic has passed. Our energy was given to getting better, not just getting through.
Similarly, if we viewed the situation as something to survive, requests to set aside traditions and long-standing structures and practices may have been granted as temporary waivers that would expire at the end of the pandemic. Conversely, if we saw the needs for change as reasons to rethink and rework assumptions and traditions that may no longer serve as well as they once did, our response likely focused on how the changes could continue to serve learner and organizational needs into the future.
The consequences of these two perspectives continue to play out as we near the end of the pandemic and we are laying groundwork for what comes next. If we perceived the experience as a temporary disruption to survive, we can expect intense pressure to return to life as it was two years ago. Of course, there will also be expectations to return to much of what existed prior to the pandemic even if we treated the pandemic as an opportunity for reimagination and innovation. Still, we have available an array of new options, approaches, and strategies to improve learner experiences, enhance the work of teachers, and move the organization forward in ways not within reach two years ago.
To be clear, few of us viewed the pandemic exclusively as something to survive or an opportunity to be exploited. Regardless of our perspective on the pandemic experience, there remain opportunities to harvest what was learned and apply the lessons it taught us in ways that move our organizations forward. However, we need to move quickly in either case to identify, protect, and support implementation of these new practices and structures before systems re-calcify and change becomes even more difficult.
In Your Corner, Leadership and Change Management
“Three-Legged Stool” Supports Successful Leaders in Turbulent Times
Now seems like a good time to step back and assess what we have learned and what has been reinforced about effective leadership. The past year has presented challenges that were never imagined. Some leaders excelled while others floundered. For the most part, the success and failure of leaders did not occur by chance.
For some leaders, personality helped them to survive but personality alone was not a formula for success. Other leaders attempted to rely on their technical skills, yet the situation demanded more than tools and techniques. Some leaders tried to “fake it,” acting as though they knew what to do while hoping that others would “pick up the slack,” only to be unmasked at some of the most crucial times.
Meanwhile, leaders who provided the guidance, support, and direction that led to success within their organizations over the past year typically relied on three key leadership elements. We might think of these elements as the legs of a three-legged stool. These “legs” provided the balance, stability, and confidence necessary to navigate new challenges and experiences without losing focus or touch with those who depended on their leadership. The legs maintained strong relationships and instilled confidence while leaders addressed serious and often controversial issues. Let’s explore this three-legged stool and how leaders can utilize it to generate success regardless of the conditions, challenges, and complexity they face.
The first leg is empathy. Leaders who succeed during turbulent, uncertain, and unpredictable times are committed to listening. These leaders know that the insights, experiences, and perceptions of those around them are crucial to understanding reality and what people perceive to be reality. They reflect on what they hear and often test their understanding to ensure clarity and accuracy. These leaders demonstrate caring through their understanding of and concern for the feelings and experiences shared with them. In the end, these leaders seek to see through the eyes of others.
The second leg is vulnerability. These leaders do not claim or act as though they have all the answers to every question and dilemma. They do not deny their experience and expertise. They also do not hide behind their position, past successes, or reputation. They are open and willing to consider advice without feeling threatened or offended. These leaders seek honest, even critical feedback to guide their growth. They readily admit to mistakes without excuses, and they choose to focus on learning and improvement over denial and defensiveness. These leaders want others to contribute meaningfully. In the end, their vulnerability also leads others to step up and step in when they need help and support.
The third stabilizing leg is strength. This strength is not to be confused with the power that comes from position or expertise. While these aspects can contribute to the strength of influence these leaders demonstrate, their strength grows out of words and actions that are consistently aligned with important values. They tap a sense of purpose to guide priorities and develop strategies. These leaders are willing to make tough decisions, even when they may be unpopular in the moment. They are willing to take smart risks to move the organization forward and make necessary changes. Further, these leaders remain focused and persistent enough to see initiatives through, yet they are flexible enough to let go of what has demonstrated that it will not succeed.
Certainly, leaders need knowledge and skills to be successful. They need strategies and tactics to address problems and advance important initiatives. Yet, none of these factors will lead to success, especially during turbulent times, without the three-legged support of empathy, vulnerability, and strength.
In Your Corner, Leadership and Change Management
In Your Corner, Leadership and Change Management
In Your Corner, Leadership and Change Management
In Your Corner, Teacher Learning
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