Over the last five years we’ve seen our US client base grow, with names such as the University of Pennsylvania, Oxfam America, and NASA. The Wagtail CMS has also gone from strength to strength, with thousands of US organisations now using it to power their digital estate. With this track record, and many more opportunities in the pipeline, it’s the perfect time to set up in the USA.
“You’re expanding and opening an office during a Pandemic?”
Expanding yes… but we’re not opening a new office.
We’ve been looking at setting up in the US for a number of years, but settling on a location has proved difficult. Our clients are located all over America – from New York to California – so committing to bricks and mortar in one state would still have meant committing to high flying miles if we were mainly collaborating on site.
This is something we wanted to avoid as much as possible, so we continued working with our US clients from our offices in the UK and with our distributed development team in North America. This has enabled us to refine our processes and become experts in delivering digital products remotely. As the world has become more borderless our US business has really grown, with over 20% of our revenue coming from North America.
When the Covid pandemic hit, like many businesses we were nervous what the future held – not only for us, but also our clients. As it turns out, Coronavirus has actually accelerated our growth because more organisations in the US are shifting to remote working, mirroring what we see in European markets. Teams are much more open-minded about the potential for working remotely. They still want to work collaboratively but being physically in the same location has become less important. But, whilst remote has become king, clients do still want to work with teams on similar timezones, so we are looking to expand our development team in North America.
All of this has led to our decision to incorporate in the US. Not only does this make it easier for American organisations to do business with us, but it also helps us grow our team stateside. We can continue to do what we do best – collaborating remotely with clients to turn their vision into reality.
If you’re keen to know more about our service offering in the US, or would like to become part of our team, please don’t hesitate to drop us a line.
The course objective is for you to enjoy your job more and to be an even better member of your team. You’ll learn collaboration and leadership skills, how to hold better meetings, and how to make better decisions faster. You’ll feel more comfortable giving feedback, know what’s getting in the way of being a great team that does awesome work, and have the mindset to help make change happen.
To do this we’ll borrow from the best sources. These include agile, self-management, organisational psychology, and the most progressive companies on the planet.
The course is led by me, Mark Eddleston. I’m a new ways of working consultant, coach, facilitator and founder of Reinventing Work. Since 2015 I’ve been practising new ways of working and synthesising the mountain of information that’s out there (you can learn more about me at the bottom of the page). New Ways of Working: Made Simpler is something of a greatest hits. We’ll fast forward to trusted, tried and tested patterns found in some of the world’s most progressive organisations.
On this course, you’ll be practising and learning all the way. You’ll get better at listening, teamwork, and self-organising. There will be pre-work ahead of each weekly meet on Zoom. You’ll have the chance to ask questions and to form a community on Slack. You’ll become familiar with Notion, where course content is shared, and with Focusmate which will help you to get through it. You’ll experience Mural and Liberating Structures. You’ll design experiments to be implemented in your own team. You’ll form partnerships with classmates who will help you, hold you accountable and be depending on you. Throughout, you’ll be experiencing some of the best collaborations tools and practices out there.
Throughout the course, you will learn structures that you can pop in your pocket, take back to work and use immediately.
Expect practical, interactive and participatory. Each week the format looks like this:
So it’s a weekly commitment of at least 5 hours per week, though some of this is during work time.
The five-week course begins on Monday, October 26 October. We meet every Monday at 18.00 – 20.00 BST, wrapping up on 23 November.
This course is for you if you are:
To secure your place double-check the eligibility criteria ☝️ then send me a note to confirm ([email protected]) and make your payment via PayPal. If you need to be invoiced I can generate one right away.
Please note that cohorts are limited to 12 places.
I came across new ways of working in New Zealand in 2015 after spending a decade in traditional workplaces. It was the first time I found consistent fulfilment in work. This experience was with a law firm and community organisation that features on the distinguished Corporate Rebels ‘bucket list’. Once you taste this way of working it is impossible to go back. I’ve since been a member of staff in two organisations that have departed from traditional management structures, so have plenty of lived experience.
I’m also co-founder of Reinventing Work, a decentralised global movement for people interested in more human-centred, purposeful and self-organised ways of working. So far we’ve gathered in 25 cities across five continents, including in Bristol (where it began) London, Berlin, Melbourne, Montreal and New York. I have delivered online content to hundreds, spoken about new ways of working at The University of Oxford, and facilitated at Meaning Fringe Conference. I’ve also appeared on the wonderful Leadermorphosis podcast and the University of the West of England’s MSc Occupational Psychology programme discussing the future of work.
You can check out my website (including testimonials) here: https://www.marco.work
This article was written at the outset of COVID-19.
Having gone through the set-up of home offices, and the adoption of new business practices, processes, and tools, many now can’t wait to get back into the office. Why is this?
It is because the choice to do so was taken away.
According to recent research by Forbes, millennials in particular have struggled to adapt to working from home, which is hardly surprising given that they had no choice in the matter. What is absolutely critical here, though, is that this is not a struggle to adapt to remote working, it is a struggle to adapt to isolation. The opportunity to go to the gym, see friends, eat out, visit family, or indulge in any of the escape mechanisms that life usually affords us has been curtailed, and this is a struggle that I’d guess most of us are feeling.
Despite running a creative agency specifically set up to work remotely, I too am desperate for a change of environment, and that is because this is not really remote working. However, there has been a shift in working practices which is unlikely to be completely undone even upon the return to the office, so how can we make the most of this moving forward?
If the role of the office is likely to change, along with greater flexibility and working practices what is the key to remote working success?
The difference between those organisations that have been forced into adopting new working practices and those already set up to operate remotely is choice. Do not underestimate how important a factor this is, and it works on two levels. Recently, the Harvard Business Review investigated the link between levels of motivation and working location, finding working from home to generally be less motivating. Critically, though, they also determined that this suffered a huge plunge when the option to choose the environment is taken away; being forced to work from home is the worst possible option. Human beings react negatively when their freedom to make a choice is removed, and this ‘psychological reactance’ generates such negative feeling that it’s unsurprising motivation dwindles as a consequence.
This leads me into the second branch of why choice is so important. As I mentioned previously, being forced to work from home is not true remote working. The effect on all of our lives has been drastic, and our psychological reaction has been one of stress and anxiety. But let me be clear, we must break the cognitive link that has been formed between forced isolation and remote working, because it is false. However unintentionally, we now associate it with this sense of cabin fever and lowered productivity that we are feeling, and this damages the true potential of authentic remote working.
98% want to work remotely at least some of the time for the rest of their careers.
Source: Buffer – State of remote report.
For many that have chosen to forge their own path away from permanent employment and the office, the choice to do so has been made accessible to them as a consequence of their level of experience and expertise. Their years within industry enable them to both perform their roles with a greater degree of autonomy, and fit this around other aspects of their lives; family, exercise, hobbies, personal projects etc. The difference here is that, whilst traditional agencies may well be ‘pivoting’ (sorry I know that word belongs in a box with ‘Agile’) away from the office, they do not benefit from the intrinsic culture of an organization comprised of people that have chosen to work this way. Well before the Covid-19 crisis, which has confused the reality of remote working with forced home working, the majority of companies had flexible working policies in place, and an investigation by Vodafone back in 2016 found that 61% of respondents reported increased profits, and 83% reported increased productivity.
Setting up Sparro House Creative, flexibility and wellbeing have been at the forefront of my mind, and it’s clear to me that these are inextricably linked not only with each other, but with improved output and increased value. With the level of experience in my teams, it benefits neither myself nor them to impose a work routine that fails to take into consideration both the other important things in their life, and the fact that they may well do their best and most creative work at 5am, perhaps before their children have woken up (hopefully!), or at their local coffee shop, in our clients offices or collaborating in shared spaces. This is true remote working – the option to choose how the work thread weaves into the rest of your life. It’s important this message is clear, this freedom reduces workplace stress and increases productivity.
Of course, this structure is dependent on trust between team members, including myself, that the work will be completed efficiently and to the highest standard. In turn, this trust is reliant on industry experience. It is the senior team members who have the expertise that allows them to work in this way and make effective and timely decisions. With the acceleration of decision-making caused by the current crisis, this is vital.
Janine Woodcock; professional coach, speaker and author of The Power of Choices discusses ‘Conscious Leadership’ with Sparro House MD, Paul Kirkcaldy.
After 15 years of supporting and promoting Bristol’s creative sector, Bristol Media has undergone a make-over. Designed to better reflect the breadth and depth of the city’s creative community, we’d like to introduce Bristol Creative Industries.
Since launching Bristol Media in 2005, the creative sector and city profile has changed significantly. Bristol today is home to one of the UK’s largest, most diverse and creative communities. From world-leading animation, film, TV, AR and VR to brilliantly creative advertising, PR, social and digital agencies and freelancers, event production and more, Bristol is a hotbed of innovative thinkers, creative dynamos and world-class talent. Given this breadth, our new name, look and feel is designed to embrace all our creative talents and ambitions.
Bristol Creative Industries will continue the good work of Bristol Media – supporting the creative sector to learn, grow and connect. A myriad of open-to-all and member-only learning and sharing events, workshops and training sessions will continue to enable Bristol’s creative community to develop valuable skills and make important new connections. Recent keynote events and workshops have seen the likes of Rory Sutherland, Ann Hiatt, Bruce Daisley and Margaret Heffernan all come to Bristol to share insights and inspire new thinking. Whether online and virtual or up close and personal, we’ll continue to bring the experts and innovators in creative thinking, business development and skills expansion to share their experience and inspire us all with their passion.
And of course, we’ll be supporting members as much as possible. Our new-look website offers members an enhanced, highly engaging platform to showcase work and share thought leadership. The Member Directory and Project Gallery offers the opportunity to promote specialist skills and offers, enabling the creative community to seek out talent and members to boost career opportunities, offer their services and build new business-generating connections and collaborations. Whether looking for a new role or seeking out new talent, members will continue to benefit from our acclaimed Jobs Board which enables roles to be posted at a fraction of the cost of other recruitment routes. With over 750 jobs posted in 2019 it’s an active and accessible route to talent recruitment for the creative sector.
Everyone involved in Bristol Creative Industries passionately believes in the brilliance of creative Bristol. Alongside our website providing a valuable introduction to the city’s talent for the many companies seeking out creative services, our Board of Directors will continue to act as ambassadors for the city and the sector, telling our collective story and working to attract further support for our initiatives and collective ambitions. With a hard–working Operations Team making everything happen, plus a voluntary Executive Board including BAFTA winners, tech trailblazers and creative pioneers providing support and guidance, we’re also expanding our Advisory Group to help build our offer and support the sector still further. We’re actively recruiting so take a look at the roles on offer if you’re interested in supporting us.
“Bristol may be known for Banksy, Gromit and Brunel, but in between the cider, boats and balloons we nurture a hugely diverse network of creative talent that is ever-expanding in scale of offer and of ambition”, says Chris Thurling, Chair of Bristol Creative Industries. “Since 2005 Bristol Media has done a great job supporting the sector, but the name simply didn’t reflect the offer. With an ambition to embrace and support the full breadth of the city’s creative talent, we wanted a name to match. Bristol Creative Industries does just that.
“The collaborative, connected nature of Bristol’s creative community is quite unique in the UK and a great, untapped strength. Individually all our creative businesses and individuals have great skill, and when we combine our talents we can do even greater things. By engaging with Bristol Creative Industries, whether attending an event, joining a training session, sharing thought leadership, creating a showcase or simply posting a new role, the opportunity to grow and prosper expands. And that, I have absolutely no doubt, is a very good thing for everyone.”
Lis Anderson, Director at Bristol Creative Industries, agrees: “Sharing our achievements inspires talented people to work here, attracts more customers and bolsters growth for all. With Bristol’s long-standing reputation for innovation, the enhanced digital platform created for Bristol Creative Industries gives Bristol’s creative community the voice it deserves. I would urge everyone in the creative community to get involved – the more noise we make, the more business we’ll attract, it really is that simple.”
If you would like to find out more about supporting Bristol Creative Industries or becoming a member, get in touch.
Bristol Creative Industries Chair, Chris Thurling represents BCI members on the West of England Combined Authority’s (WECA) Regional Recovery Taskforce. This is a forum where industry views can be heard regionally and nationally, to feed into plans for economic recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic. Here is a short summary of discussions from the July meeting.
The Covid-19 business environment has shifted many into home working, bringing the additional challenges around remotely building new relationships with clients/customers, remote sales and recruiting new staff members. Businesses are finding working from home more than just shifting to video calls; for help take a look here.
Employees’ mental health and resilience is an ongoing concern, especially those with additional caring needs at home.
Longer working hours have been reported. Many businesses are tied into long term office rentals which are not being used, this has led to some considering more flexible options or even becoming virtual organisations. In co-working spaces there has been confusion over who is responsible for adapting workspaces. There is a growing demand for co-working spaces and work hubs in rural and suburban areas.
A clearer message from the government is needed on whether it is safe and advised to return to work.
Looking at demand and markets, a large number of companies in the sector have pivoted online where possible. Companies are looking at international markets that are further down the COVID recovery line. In television production there has been a move to the subscription models and away from the ad-funded models. With office-based working now not so important the South West is well placed to attract more talented people and new businesses.
It is important to keep remote working practices in place so companies are prepared in the event of a second lockdown. Companies are using the period of reopening to prioritise work that needs to be done face to face, and those employees not comfortable with homeworking given the option to return to the office. Digital Connectivity is an ongoing issue for people working from home, especially those in rural areas.
Publishing local R numbers would allow companies to make more informed decisions when making plans to return to work.
There is likely to be an influx of freelancers and new start-up companies as a result of redundancies in the sector. Provision of entrepreneurial skills training to help people create their own jobs was recommended. Other skills training highlighted was in the skills gap for software development and data science.
It’s crucial to be able to attract international talent so clarity is needed on visa requirements post-Brexit.
Programmes like Creative Workforce for the Future have been very well received and there is an appetite across the board for this programme to be extended or similar placement schemes to be introduced.
A flexible apprenticeships programme has been launched in the West Midlands and Manchester – is this something WECA can be involved in? There is also the need to work with the education sector on the provision of work-based training opportunities to students.
Any support packages should also address environmental sustainability and diversity. There are still huge challenges around gender, ethnicity, ableism and socio-economics in the sector.
The next WECA Regional Recovery Taskforce is in early August, we will update you on discussions and pass on your views. To have your say do contact Chris with your thoughts or concerns on business recovery, reference “WECA recovery”.
What should we be communicating right now? What channels should we be using? Or Should we even be advertising at all? If you’re in the world of Marketing like myself, then these are all questions many of you will have asked yourself over the past few weeks.
It’s undoubtedly a challenging time for marketers and brands as we try to navigate the current crisis, which is unlike anything we have experienced before.
With consumer confidence plummeting, it’s understandable that many businesses are choosing to either keep quiet or focus on short-term profitability, but is this the right thing to do?
We’ve pulled together a few pointers to help keep you on the right track.
1. Don’t go into panic mode
Whilst some sectors are thriving amid the crisis, many are facing a significant drop in demand and are therefore choosing to cut their spend, and more often than not their marketing budget is at the top of the hit list!
However, according to Marketing Consultant Peter Field, many brands are getting it wrong!
He suggests that by cutting spend, and going into panic mode this is likely to affect long-term profitability and undermine your brand.
At a time when everything we know and understand has been thrown into chaos, consumers are looking for reassurance, particularly from brands they know and trust.
In fact, research shows that during the last recession of 2008/9 those brands that went into panic mode (cutting all spend) saw their market share, and therefore profitability drop over the long term.
2. Look Longer Term/Focus on Brand Building
The key to recovery and long-term growth, according to experts, is to maintain a presence throughout the crisis. For those who can afford it, and not everyone can, rather than investing in activity that drives sales activation when demand is just not there, put your money into long-term brand building, focusing on recovery, not the now.
According to Helen O’Dowda, Marketing Manager for Moriarty Group
“Now is the time to think outside the box, of ways we can remain human with our audience in a bid to help where help is needed, in a bid to be the voice of reason and consistency in a time of uncertainty, and in a behind-the-scenes bid to come out on top when this crisis subsides and we are all functionally back in business.”
So the message here is…as long as you’re mindful of how customers are feeling and are able to shift and adapt priorities to reflect people’s changing sentiments, then now is a great time to build brand equity.
3. Just get on with it
At the risk of sounding brash, there is a strong argument that suggests the best Covid communications is no Covid communications at all …..and I’m inclined to agree.
The advice is to “Get on with the business, with the brand, and with making tangible and impactful changes to the rest of the business.”
BrewDog, the well-known Scottish brewer is a fantastic example of how a business can adapt and innovate during a time of crisis, and are now reaping the awards!
Ingeniously they used their distilleries to create hand sanitiser which they distributed free to charities and hospitals. And to maintain a consistent presence they have also created virtual bars so people can share a beer online, take part in virtual quizzes and homebrew masterclasses and win merchandise. Amazing!
So to summarise and without sounding too cliche, keep calm and carry on! Focus on making the right choice and spend your money wisely.
This week I returned to work after being furloughed for 13 weeks, along with 9 million other people in the UK. Before life gets too crazy again and I get back on the treadmill of ‘normal’ life, I thought it would be useful (and somewhat therapeutic) to take a step back and reflect on some of the things I’ve learnt about myself whilst being furloughed: the good, the bad and the ugly!
Like many of you, I had been confined to the 4 walls of my home, with my husband and my 5 year old since the beginning of lockdown, trying to juggle working from home with the joys of homeschooling, when a few weeks later, I received a call from my boss. She explained how the fall in work volumes meant they had taken the difficult decision to put me on furlough, a decision they had not taken lightly but was inevitable in light of the recent coronavirus pandemic.
My first reaction, which I’m slightly embarrassed about now, was to ask ‘what does furlough mean?’ In my defence, up until a few months ago it wasn’t a term that was widely used. Now it’s probably one of the most talked about topics after COVID-19!
My next reaction was to cry (and so did my boss)! Again, slightly embarrassing I know! However, In an attempt to justify myself for a second time, I had only started working for soap 8 weeks previously (after trying to get a job there for almost 10 years), and was just finding my feet and establishing my place in the soap family. So I think it’s fair to say it was an emotional moment for both of us!
But once I had pulled myself together, I knew it was a sensible decision on their part, protecting the business going forward and trying to secure our positions for the future. That and the fact I wasn’t alone, was at least some consolation.
Whilst I know that everyone’s experience of being on furlough is different, I’m pleased to report that for me it was mostly positive, except for a few ‘wobbly’ moments along the way which I will share with you shortly!
So, here it goes….
The GOOD
The simple things in life are the best
Starting with the positive, which I think is always a good mantra to follow, I learnt that it’s the simple things in life that give me the most pleasure. Going for walks in the local countryside, sitting in the garden, riding a bike, flying a kite and baking with my little boy were definitely the highlights of my time off.
I even completed a 1000-piece puzzle which I enjoyed more than I should probably admit to! But the best thing of all was teaching my little boy to ride a bike without stabilizers, something that I should’ve done a while ago but never had the time.
Strangely, some of the things that I thought were important to me, like shopping or even going to the pub, it turns out I’m just not that bothered by!
Time for reflection
Having not long left my previous company where I had been for 9 years, and jumping straight into a new job with no time off in between, I found it really positive to have some time to reflect on this huge change in my life. After all 9 years is a long time and it’s never easy starting in a new role, with new people, in a completely new environment.
However, despite being furloughed longer than I have worked at soap, there is no doubt in my mind I have made the right decision. Apart from being instantly welcomed into the soap family, Rebecca and Christy went out of their way to ensure I felt supported throughout my furlough period. Constantly checking in to see if I was OK, weekly video calls with the wider team and a continuous stream of jokes on the soap social WhatsApp group all helped me to get through and continue to feel part of the team.
Self development
As well as giving me this valuable time to reflect, it was a great opportunity to brush up on some of my more rusty skills. Fellow marketers out there will understand that when you’re busy in your day to day role, sending out campaigns, writing blogs, organising events etc., it can be difficult to find time to keep up with constantly changing tools and techniques. In theory, I should now be a dab hand at ‘Content Marketing for Social Media’ and ‘SEO Keyword Strategy’, although please don’t test me on them!
THE BAD
Too much booze
Like many others in the midst of lockdown, my husband and I felt justified in enjoying a few drinks on an evening. I mean, why not? What else was there to do? With no reason to get up each morning, it seemed like a good idea at the time. That is until the next day, when we would wake up with a hangover, on a Tuesday
But now with lockdown over, it’s proving hard to shift the habit. My plan so far is to swap wine for G&T and limit myself to just the one, except for weekends when quite frankly all healthy intentions go out the window, lockdown or no lockdown!
Homeschooling horrors
It’s fair to say, I would not make a good teacher! Which is actually quite disappointing as I always quite fancied myself as one! Apart from the fact that my little boy has the attention span of a goldfish, my husband was/is no help at all, combined with the complexities of modern teaching techniques, all in all did not make for a pleasant experience! I mean, who has ever heard of phonemes, graphemes and trigraphs? Apparently, a few of the key terms used in teaching the principles of phonics. I can barely pronounce the words, let alone teach them to my 5 year old!
I guess there were a few moments when it felt quite rewarding, but in the main it confirmed what a stubborn little man I am raising. Whilst I admire his determination and desire to always get things right (a trait he gets mostly from his Dad), it was extremely frustrating when he refused to accept any kind of support or guidance from me (another trait from his Dad).
As an example, when I would gently point out that he had written a ‘b’ instead of a ‘d’, or had written an ‘s’ backwards, I was met with a fierce ‘NO. You are wrong, I am right’. Or, after 5 minutes of watching a YouTube video about number bonds I would hear ‘I’m getting a little tired now, can I have a rest’.
And don’t even get me started on those ‘super mums’ who like to post daily about their latest fun-filled and creative homeschooling techniques, with their joyful and incredibly obedient children. Always helpful in contributing to feelings of guilt and failure as a parent!
All in all it was a rather stressful experience and one I hope I don’t have to go through again. I take my hat off to all teachers out there!
THE UGLY
Tears and tantrums
You’re most probably thinking that I’m talking about my little boy, but in fact I’m talking about myself!I guess we all have bad days from time to time. Before lockdown, for me it was quite normal to have a ‘bad day’ at least once a month, when everyone and everything just irritated me for no particular reason! However, during lockdown and even throughout my furlough period, I found that it became a weekly occurrence, and for some strange reason, it seemed to happen mostly on a Friday. I would be absolutely fine and then out of nowhere I would just feel utterly miserable!
But what I’ve learnt is that it’s OK to have an off day sometimes, as long as you don’t take it out on the people around you. My advice, a technique I’ve taught myself over the past few months, is when you feel it brewing, simply lock yourself away or take yourself off where you can’t harm anyone
So there we have it….this is my experience of being furloughed!
It’s good to be back
I hope you’ve found it interesting but if not, that’s OK. I wanted to do it for myself if for nothing else, so I can look back in years to come and remember this crazy time, for all the good things that came out of it as well as the bad!
But one thing is for sure, I will never take going to work for granted again and be thankful I have a job that I enjoy in a company that values me.
It’s good to be back
Getting the marketing sector back to growth in the coming months will mean listening to a spectrum of voices and acting on vital insights.
At the next Business as Unusual webinar on Thursday 9th July at 3pm, you’ll find out what 77 business leaders and senior marketers from across the South West have told us about how their outlook has been impacted by the COVID crisis. They’ll discuss how they’re feeling about the current climate and the implications it’s had for their marketing approach.
Join Nick Barthram, Firehaus Strategy Partner, Noisy Little Monkey’s Nic Payne and a panel of senior marketers, for what promises to be an engaging discussion about how marketing is being affected – for better or worse – and an opportunity to hear and share practical thoughts about how we can all adapt.
Based on the recently published DisCOVIDery survey, topics will include:
You can sign up for the free webinar on Thursday 9th July at 3pm BST right here: mnky.bz/bau
Lockdown, furlough and social distancing have changed the game for business leaders. Steve Jefferys, Client Service Director at Armadillo, shares four principles to navigate the next phase.
A few months ago, we were forced to abide by an equal norm: confined to our homes, allowed outside once per day and in forced isolation away from our social rhythms. We didn’t revel in it, but we knew where we stood and why.
Fast forward some weeks and we’re now in receipt of ambiguous official advice, losing our clarity in the process. It’s that clarity we could do with more than ever as we transition back to some form of normality. Lockdown Britain was a short-term hardship, but it sharpened our focus. It was a leveller in a time of so much bad news.
Commercially, it’s the same story. Businesses welcome some colleagues back from furlough, while others remain absent. Equally, some companies will be looking to restructure their operation.
The shifting sands have removed our leveller, with our leaders tested beyond their comfort zones to ensure their organisations don’t slip their bindings. Some leaders are made here; others will shrink in the headlights of uncertainty.
But regardless of the direction we take, one thing sits quietly beyond all else: the need for a refined version of leadership that stands the test of time. Clarified in uncertainty, yet practised unilaterally, here are four areas we may see ourselves turning to more than ever.
1. Leading the person, not just the employee
Leading is appealing to and moving in equal parts the rational and emotional sides of people. Successful leaders consider peoples’ wellbeing, motivations and needs and evaluate those against rational tasks and requests to influence them effectively. It’s a difficult balance to strike – I’ve certainly not always got this right – but it’s more important now than ever. We need to inspire people as people and hold them to account in an honest, supportive way with the whole package considered.
2. Communicating regularly, honestly, clearly and consistently
To lead effectively, you don’t do one of these, you do all of these. You don’t shun it; you prioritise it. You don’t hide from it, you embrace it and front it. In fluid situations like those we’ve experienced, people don’t expect rapid, right-first-time answers.
They do expect honesty, updates and clarity. And they expect to be treated as a grown up. In fact, regardless of circumstance, this should be the very basis of effective, minimum viable leadership. Our brains are wired to thrive with routine, and the routine and consistency of update and honesty binds more strongly than the uniformity of the message being conveyed. Respect will follow.
3. Showing humility: involving people and folding their contributions into something far bigger
Leaders make big requests and have big goals, but these goals and requests are only as good as the belief and investment people have in them. Leading is not shouldering everything and playing the hero. The most important lesson I’ve learnt is that success is in the fusion, blend and synthesis of many minds and inputs rather than an autocratic and rash statement of a solution without consultation.
Let people know where you want to get to. Then, invite debate as to why and seek agreement as to what needs consideration. After this, empower those with the most suitable skills and time to work towards this.
Often, this might mean the leader taking a step back as there are others better equipped. And that’s fine, especially if it makes the solution and achievement of the goal more effective. So even if total consensus isn’t possible, you can move people as one if you get them on the bus first.
4. Setting the tempo and then regulating the energies
People often say great leaders light up a room, but they’re not necessarily the biggest personalities with the loudest voices. Leaders do need to ensure their vision and tone are credible and energising – now more than ever – and something that people can invest and believe in. Equally important, however, is to ensure that the energy and commitment from others never waivers even if the ship changes course and especially when the waters get choppy.
The secret will be in ensuring there is enough latent belief from the outset that can be re-framed and re-directed without ever ensuring the wider vision is knocked off course. This will need every ounce of leadership muscle – influencing hearts and minds in equal measure – to be effective and long-lasting.
None of these areas are new or original to the last few weeks and months. They are, however, a refraction and distillation of those core leadership components that make up decent, human leadership for any time, not just hard times. It just so happens it’s taken a crisis for the mists to clear and expose them more clearly.
Article orignally published in Minutehack