How quickly do I take action? How do I communicate with my team through the uncertainty of this pandemic?

I spent last Thursday trying to get my head around my new reality, and sort of pretended to be calm and collected on Friday (good luck with that). It wasn’t until Tuesday morning this week that I started to feel like I was pivoting my plans appropriately.

Drawing on what I am receiving from resources like Strategic Coach (love it) and others, here is what I put together with my team. Building plans like this with your team, instead of on your own, give everyone clarity and a sense of solidarity. This is our framework of operating principles in the next few months that we are using to build weekly actions at Portage Sales. Life feels better when we have a plan.

“Our job as leaders is to set a direction, communicate the plan, inspire a sense of purpose, remove ambiguity where possible, and to have empathy for what people are going through.

So, I give you our plan… for you to use and adapt for your team:

PORTAGE’S GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THESE CHALLENGING TIMES 

What are we focused on over the next few months?

• We are Curious – be alert and responsive to what’s happening for our clients, each other, and our community (and ignore the hourly changes to the financial markets)

• We actively Contribute – as things remain uncertain and the people around us experience great discomfort, our job is to be creatively responsive:

  • Create confidence for our clients and community and a sense of connection for all;

  • Generously give our time, creativity, and coaching to those that are open to receive it, with zero intention to convert them to a paying sale;

  • Create relevant value for clients through solutions that help reduce the dangers of the situation, capture opportunities, and reinforce their strengths;

  • Find ways to make a difference for our communities as we all band together to fight this pandemic

• We uncover Growth – be grateful for what we have, the resources we have to work with, and the progress we are making each day; Recognize that we will grow and learn more as individuals and as a business, in this short time, than any other period in this decade

Published on LinkedIn on March 20, 2020