NextGen Know-How: The 3 most important leadership actions during a crisis

I’m writing this article from my walk-in closet during the second week of working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Right now it’s the quietest place in my house as we navigate this new normal. My regular office is being used by one of my three kids—who are being “homeschooled” while my husband and I balance running two businesses virtually. I’m not sure how much learning is happening right now, but we are doing our best to manage this challenging situation. This is real life. It’s messy and it’s difficult.

Each of your employees has their own challenges during this unprecedented time. Some may have elderly parents who are at higher risk, some find themselves teaching their children while they juggle work and others may have a spouse who is self-employed or was recently laid off. Each situation is different, yet many of us are experiencing the same emotions of fear, uncertainty and frustration.

Many of my credit union clients have been working overtime to get their employees set up remotely so they can continue to serve their members as effectively as possible. Some are strategizing how to handle the uncertain economic outlook. These are all important and urgent responsibilities that credit union leaders need to navigate. But leadership is not just about solving problems. There is another important responsibility that we should not forget while we work to ensure our operations run as smoothly as possible: caretaking the culture.

 

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