​As we speed through September in the new working world many are losing trust in the ability of governments to manage the crisis of Covid 19. Here in the UK policy seems to be made reactively with a very strong political agenda, and the Brexit situation only adds to that feeling on unease. If my government cannot be trusted to comply with international law, then what can they be trusted with?
 
But ‘trust’ is an odd concept and often difficult to pin down. One of the best explanations comes from Stephen MR Covey in his book, ‘The Speed of Trust’. He defines trust as being built on the perception of two key factors, character and competence. We need to believe the individual has integrity and the character that we can trust. However, this alone is not enough. In order to trust someone, we also need to believe they are competent in the domain we expect them to operate in. I would trust my husband with my life, but not to carry out the brain surgery my life depended on! We therefore might ask if we believe the current policy makers have both character and competence?
 
The working world is no different. Those in leadership who seek the trust of their people so they will follow the prescribed path through difficult times also need to demonstrate their character and competence.
 
How do you demonstrate your character?
What do you need to do to communicate competence?
What actions do you need to take to inspire trust?
 

​August has been a strange month in the UK. Life is trying to return to normal but the goal posts keep moving. One minute families try to arrange a last minute get-away to a ‘safe’ country, before the return to school. Next minute the country is no longer deemed safe and a two-week quarantine has been announced that might stop them getting to school anyway. That is, if schools do go back and parents feel reassured to let their children attend at all!
 
Throughout the Covid 19 period it is clear that things are changing on a daily basis but what most people are finding frustrating is the constant changes and the minimal notice on things that have huge impact on people’s lives. These factors give the impression that policy is being made in a reactive way and implies a lack of control. To some degree, there is no control in a new unfolding and unknown pandemic situation, but people need to feel secure in the knowledge that decisions are being taken in their best interests and that they are in fact being led.
 
I am reminded of the well-established principle of situational leadership (Goleman). This is now a relatively old model that sets out how different leadership styles are needed in different circumstances. We often say that times of crisis require a more authoritarian and prescriptive style not only to aid speed of decision making, but also to inspire confidence in others. Constantly changing course, without notice or rationale does little to reassure others that the leader is following a true belief or a higher goal.
 
How are you adapting your leadership style for the current situation?
What leadership style is needed in your context at the moment?
What do you learn about leadership through change from your current experiences?

After three months of lock-down in the UK we are just beginning to see some changes in daily life, but we could never describe this as ‘normal’. A mask and gloves are now essential items we cannot leave the house without, and scrupulous hand washing and sanitizing has become second nature. We cross the street to avoid those coming towards us and schedule the least busy time to go and do the most mundane shopping. And yet this has become the norm remarkably quickly.
In organizational settings we bemoan how difficult change is and run endless training courses to support change management. Yet here we have seen the most dramatic changes in behaviour in our lifetime within 12 weeks. The current situation has just highlighted how adaptable we can be when the case is made strongly enough, and needs must. Shops, offices and all manner of working contexts have changed beyond recognition in a few short weeks. This is not to say the change has been easy, and some people are experiencing significant issues. However, it does highlight how resilient and adaptable we can be to new and changing circumstances. We have Zoom quiz nights, socially distanced picnics and have learnt to exercise in whole new ways. I once read in a book that if you woke up tomorrow as a giant insect, you would find a way to cope……..and you probably would!
 
What has this period taught you about our ability to change?
What adaptations have you made that you might have thought impossible 6 months ago?
What new strengths have you discovered you have?
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Over the last 12 weeks the UK has been in ‘lockdown’ with strident restrictions on movement and activities outside the home. And yet, at least three senior government advisors have been forced to leave high profile jobs due to poor publicity caused by not following their own rules. Debate still rages about additional figures who also broke lockdown rules but somehow remain in post.
The argument is simple, how can you retain command and authority over others, when not abiding by the same rules. This only works in highly dictatorial situations where despot leaders rule by fear. Even in military situations with strong hierarchies, soldiers put their lives at risk for the greater good knowing their peers and superiors would do the same. When people feel a different set of rules exist for the elite, rebellion has been a common historical consequence.
If we seek to gain commitment from others the principle of ‘fairness’ is paramount. This does not mean everyone is treated in exactly the same way, rather that a principle of fairness is seen to operate. Salaries will differ by role, but if this is seen as ‘fair’ reward people will accept the differential. We will accept that disability requires additional support, not available to others, in order to ensure fairness of opportunity. Problems arise when leaders do not justify the case for why differential treatment exists.
 
How are you leading by example in the current challenging climate?
What can you do to communicate the principle of fairness?
Where are the potential challenges to perceived fairness in your context?

As we move into our second month of lock-down we have all been faced with working with the ‘new normal’. Regular remote meetings and innovative approaches are springing up as we resourcefully meet the new challenges. I suspect that nothing will ever go back to how it once was now we have discovered and adapted to these new ways of working. We might well start to reassess what travel is really necessary, and how much office space we actually require. However, we may also find that our perceptions of individuals have also changed.  I was struck this week by the view that celebrities are fast losing support, as they fail to identify with the realities of what normal people are facing in their social media activities. Clients too have explained how certain people have unexpectedly stepped up the mark with a flexible and adaptable approach, while others have entrenched in established protocols refusing to make the best of a less than ideal landscape. ‘Done is better than perfect’ was a regular mantra at Facebook, and this is surely the current requirement. We need to let go of ideals, in favour of solutions fit for the current reality. This is not to let go of our principles, but to help everyone move forward. What example and leadership are you engaging with?
Consider how your own approach may be interpreted by other.
 
What example are you setting to others?
What lessons are others taking from your current approach to leadership?
How are you contributing to the resilience and stability of those you work with?
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We are facing an event that will define our generation and in the UK as well as across the world we express our sympathy to everyone who has suffered a loss, our gratitude to anyone working to support others and send our best wishes to those recovering. It seems an odd and difficult time for everyone and many are finding the degree of change hard to deal with. For some they are suddenly left idle, while for others it seems a time when they are struggling to keep up. I have been kept very busy redesigning material to deliver remotely, so what I am doing is the same yet different. However, what has been interesting has been the areas where we have seen either new opportunities or expanded opportunities. It can be difficult to maintain a positive attitude and personal motivation in these unprecedented times and yet opportunities have emerged. These can sometimes be the lifeline that can engage us and contribute to our own well-being.
 
Around the world we have seen factories being repurposed to output key supplies, transitioning from things like formula one engineering to building ventilators. In the UK there has been huge growth in unexpected product sales such as jigsaws, and freezers! Delivery services and on-line communication platforms are stretched to breaking point and people continue to apply their skills in innovative ways to support others. Countless on-line activities have emerged to support education, exercise and connection. On-line Zumba, drawing lessons and virtual choirs, providing some examples of our human ingenuity. For many this creates a meaning and purpose to their activities, enabling them to feel their contributions are useful and important. There are therefore opportunities that arise as a result of any dark or difficult situation. These may be opportunities to help, opportunities for growth or opportunities to contribute.
 
Where are the opportunities in your area?
What might you be able to contribute?
How can you build on those opportunities?

In the UK this month we are in the grip of the Corona Virus outbreak that is causing people to apparently stock up on pasta and soap, with supermarket shelves bare of these items. Such ‘panic-buying’ is producing an interesting effect. The over-buying of these items is in fact producing the very effect that many are trying to escape, their lack of availability. However, such people are also likely to use this lack of availability to justify their panic buying in the first place! An interesting piece of circular logic.
 
This behaviour is not uncommon in far more mundane situations. I have worked with many managers who micro-manage staff because they do not believe them capable of doing certain tasks. When these people then fail in a task, they take that as evidence of their lack of ability, to justify why they need micro-managing in the first place. Such managers never examine their own contribution to the issue. If these staff were not micro-managed and were given the opportunity to learn and grow, some may well be capable of far more and would in fact relieve the pressure on said ‘over-worked micro-managing’ manager. Few of us would identify ourselves as this person, but we do often fail to appreciate how our own behaviours contribute to our issues.
 
What would I like to see change in others?
How might my current behaviours and actions contribute to the issues?
How might I test a new way of operating?
 

I do a great deal of training that gives managers the skills to coach their staff which invariably relies on helping them ask appropriate questions. I spend a great deal of time trying to explain how people react to directive instruction, even if it comes in the form of a questions. E.g. Have you thought of….. It can lead people to become obstructive and create defensiveness. In other cases, individuals lose confidence because the ‘instruction’ is taken to indicate that they are not capable of achieving the task without this direction. Whereas when we engage people with the problem solving, they feel more valued and experience a sense of agency. This feeling of self-direction and agency is a great motivator and this weekend I saw a very graphic display of this very phenomena in action.
 
My 3 year old grandson had just been allowed to put the tablet in the dishwasher so his mother asked him to put the box of tablets back in the cupboard. The little boy looked up at his mother and refused. He continued to insist that ‘Mummy do’ that! She asked him again very nicely and politely to carry out her request, but the little boy was not for changing his mind, despite an ongoing debate. Sensing a potential tantrum brewing I turned and said, ‘where do they belong, do you know?’ The little boy immediately picked up the box and returned it to its rightful home. Drama averted. Interesting how early we can see these patterns of behavior and how important it can be to remember this approach to managing staff as well as 3 year olds!  
 
When do you catch yourself asking directive questions?
How can you engage people more in the problem-solving process?
When do you need to ask more engaging questions?
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​As we move into the new decade many traditional new year resolutions will already have fallen by the wayside!  Change is hard and despite our best intentions we can often find ourselves falling into old habits. Whether it be better eating, more exercise or getting home earlier, it can be difficult to maintain the momentum and enthusiasm because it seems that operating in a new way is often draining.
 
When we attempt change it can be helpful to consider two aspects. The first is the mindset we approach the change with. Do we really believe we can change, or are we routed in a belief that we are not up to the task. We often talk about the fixed or growth mindset. People with a growth mindset are generally more successful because they believe that change and growth are possible for everyone. One school even introduced a ‘not yet’ grade!
 
The second point is to set realistic aims or targets. To suddenly claim that you will have weekly 1:1 with all staff is likely to be unrealistic and when you fail to achieve that lofty aim it is easy to then give up on the whole idea. Set small steps and milestones that can demonstrate your progress. What would be a sign that you were moving in the right direction? It might be to see everyone once a quarter.
 
What change would you like to implement in the new year?
What is needed to help you believe it is possible for you?
What would be a realistic milestone that would indicate progress?
 

Here in the UK we are currently doing a post-mortem on the events of our recent general election. Neither of the main parties had a universally popular leader, but the failure of Labour to maintain long held loyalties came in for much scrutiny with Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership attracting particular attention. What is interesting is the analysis of Tom Blenkinsop who commented that ‘’It didn’t matter what the message was, they didn’t like the messenger’.
 
This highlights a very interesting facet of the leadership role. Unless you can get people to believe you are worth listening to, it won’t matter what you say. Building the right relationship has to come first, with people believing that the leader is on their side, speaks their language, understands their issues and is strong enough to lead. Even if people do not agree with everything they hear, they will follow the leader they think can lead them. They look for particular characteristics in their leaders which may be different to those they look for in their friends, peers or colleagues. Consider what image of leadership you need to portray to get people on board and ready to listen to the message.
 
This of course highlights another very interesting aspect of human psychology. That our values, ideas and principles stop us really listening to people we have already dismissed as irrelevant. We are all subject to these listening biases that can limit the real picture we form of a situation. Consider how often you have sat in a meeting and started to wander mentally into the world of your e-mails and future tasks, because you have already decided the speaker is not worth listening to. This may seem effective time use but can affect our understanding of situations and people.
 
When do you tend to dismiss the speaker as irrelevant?
When do you need to display strength in your leadership?
What do others need to see you do?
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