Navigating the list of measures proposed by the government to support businesses can be a time-consuming endeavour. Keeping a constant eye on cash flow and a shrinking sales pipeline is exhausting. It would be understandable if in the current febrile climate we focussed on business issues at the expense of our people. The government Every Mind Matters initiative provides resources to help everyone in these challenging times.
Recently I wrote a blog with my thoughts on how businesses could respond in a positive way to the challenges presented by the situation we find ourselves in. My concern is to ensure that in the struggle to secure the future of our businesses, we do not miss the human elements.
Social distancing is not social isolation.
As the majority of the population adjusts to the challenges of working from home, the Every Mind Matters website highlights the need to Stay Connected with People. For those of us with a background in sales, picking up the phone normally wouldn’t be a problem. In the current climate, you may be worried about the reception you will receive. You may fear rejection, or worse, another prospect lost to no decision or a delayed decision.
For business leaders, contacting employees may surface similar anxieties. For some their inability to provide definitive answers in a rapidly changing situation, may be uncomfortable. For others, the need to deliver bad news to people already struggling is emotionally draining. All this at a time when those same leaders are also exhausted from providing support to family and friends.
It is easy to see why, over time, a reluctance to “Stay in Touch” with clients and employees may grow. It is also where business leaders can lead by example.
Start Small and Grow
Small and seemingly trivial conversation can create the ice breaker that we need. At the start of this crisis, before the lockdown was introduced, we created a staff WhatsApp group. This did not replace any of the excellent tools we use to communicate or socialise information across the organisation. What it provided was a virtual coffee machine. A place where people could exchange jokes, news and chat to maintain a sense of belonging.
We also suggested that in building a plan for each day that everyone took the time to speak to a colleague on the phone. These catch-up calls were often an opportunity to build on professional relationships and introduce some personality into the situation.
“Don’t be a Sales Dick!”
An amazing quote from one of the team when we were discussing how to communicate with our clients. Their point, so eloquently phrased, is that now is not the time to sell, now is the time to support. So our calls changed to reflect the skills we have which could be of use to our clients. We asked how we could help, and as a result have been able to help clients by:-
• Creating and sending email campaigns and news updates.
• Importing data to support decision making
• Managing user security to enable and disable users, or changes access rights.
Practical assistance that helped our clients to get done tasks which could have taken them away from other more important work.
It’s OK to be worried
We are living through unprecedented changes that are affecting every aspect of our lives both personal and professional. There is no shame in voicing your concerns, indeed it may help others to learn that they are not alone in feeling scared or confused.
Recently one of my colleagues wrote a powerful blog on his own response to the COVID-19. His honesty and positivity are well worth a read. His approach will not be to everyone’s taste, but for me, it was a shot of positivity in troubled times. Which made me think if you are attempting to lead your team and company through these troubled times, don’t forget to take time to look after yourself. Not for nothing does every pre-flight safety announcement tell you to put on your own facemask before helping others.
