Lessons learned from the pandemic

The emergence of the coronavirus pandemic has tested our leadership abilities, the strength of our companies, and mental fortitude. While we can draw similarities to previous crises – like the 2008 financial crisis or Great Depression – to try to determine a best course of action, uncertainty remains.

To help leaders who might be struggling, leadership guru – and my friend – John Spence reached out to several CEOs to get their insights on how to weather this storm. Spence asked leaders two questions and then grouped common responses. Here’s what he found:

What are your three biggest learnings from the pandemic so far?

• People: In crises like this, people are what matter. We all want to do right by our families, employees, and members/customers to ensure their safety and health. At the start of the pandemic, I stressed the importance of leading with humanity to acknowledge employees’ concerns and provide the emotional support they need during this time. The CEOs surveyed by Spence agree – “empathy and compassion are potentially the most important traits of a leader,” one said. They also reiterated the importance of a strong office culture and collaboration to keep everyone working toward the same vision.

 

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