When kids are just learning to play sports, there often comes a moment when they totally freeze because they simply don’t know what to do. It’s at that moment you hear a coach yell “Run!,” “Get the ball!,” or “Just tackle someone!” 

The point is, it often doesn’t matter what they do, as long as they do something.

The moment after a crisis places many organizations and leaders at risk of succumbing to the pressure. They feel paralyzed, unsure, and fearful of taking the wrong step forward.

The reality is, doing nothing is likely the worst thing you can do as a leader. 

Taking the Practical First Steps

As restrictions related to COVID-19 begin to lift, businesses are left with a lot of questions, like: 

  • When is the right time to come back?
  • What does coming back look like?
  • How do we return to a sense of normal after so much has happened?
  • Can we ever return to how things were before?

These are all valid questions and not knowing the answers can make it difficult to lead into the future. But now is not a time to shy away from those challenges. Now is the time to start taking your first steps. 

1. Go to the Pressure

Coming back from a crisis takes hard work. Now is not the time to be shy. Step up to the plate and seize every opportunity to exercise positive leadership so your team members know they are supported and appreciated in this difficult time.

2. Consider a Reset

Each step in the reopening process is an opportunity to invest in personal relationships, systems, and the capacity of your teams. We can never go back to exactly how things were. Think of this as a chance to make things exactly how you want them to be going forward.

3. Make Clear Plans

Team members who don’t have a goal or a focus are likely to become quickly unmotivated, especially if they’re fatigued from dealing with all the extra stress that comes with a crisis like COVID-19. Make your intentions clear. Communicate well and communicate often.

4. Have Quality Conversations

This is the ideal time to make time for group and one-on-one conversations with your team members. Understand that people went through something that was very tumultuous. The mere act of listening authentically is a critical part of informing your next steps as an organization and as a leader.

“If the goal is to have an organization that can function with abundant grace, a great deal of trust, and a great deal of focus, leaders need to begin that conversation by listening,” says FiredUp! Executive Vice President Tim Yeomans.

As a leader, it’s much easier to move forward when you meet people where they are, so you can move forward together, united, focused, ready to create a new normal that’s better than ever.

Don’t take your first steps without considering your company culture. Find out how to transform your culture to match the bright future of your new normal. Download our free workbook.