Staying Positive During Crisis is Leadership

Leaders need to set an example by leading themselves beyond the boundaries of their own concerns and uncertainties.

In a time of crisis, without self-leadership, it is challenging and almost unethical to lead others. When you are positive, you will find it easier to build a network of advocates and team members to help you when you need it.

Projects face difficulties and challenges, a positive perspective and a supportive team will help you to move forward past the obstacles, even after major setbacks.

“For business leaders, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated unprecedented change. More than ever, the health of businesses is urgently and visibly linked with the health of workforces, the health of our society, and the health of our planet. Previously unimaginable shifts in our daily lives are compelling companies to adapt quickly and identify creative, unconventional ways to operate and survive.

Worldwide uncertainty makes it more difficult for leaders to find their footing—and those who like to operate from a place of clarity are finding few ports in this global storm.” states McKinsey & Company.

How Leaders Should Handle Crisis?

Be proactive; take initiative. Do something even if it might be wrong; paralysis or over-analyzing is riskier. As you make decisions and take action when leading through a crisis, communicate those actions truthfully and honestly.

Disasters can make or break a leader. Overall, their work has shown that leaders who communicate effectively and learn from their mistakes are poised for success. Those who dissemble and vacillate can harm and alienate their constituencies.

10 Tips: How Self Stays Positive in Times of Crisis?

1. Recognize the Good. Positive emotions are not permanent but they are able to produce changes in people’s thoughts, actions, and responses to various events in a way that increases our well-being over time.
2. Take Time for Health Tasks. Take a walk, hike, or bike ride. Perform some sort of movement that you enjoy, especially outside and be sure to pay attention to nature and life all around you. Remember to breathe deeply as you enjoy this time out.
3. Check Thoughts and Emotions. A great tool for this check is to keep a journal. Writing things down can be a great outlet for emotions and a great way to reveal to you all the things to be grateful for in this life.
4. Take Breaks from Social Media. Sometimes the social platforms can easily turn contentious and taking a moment, an hour or even a day away from all opinion can be liberating.
5. Limit News Intake. When there is negative news everywhere you look and unprecedented financial and logistical challenges facing so many both in business and personally, it can be tough for people to stay positive.
6. Get Regular Sleep. It just makes day-to-day life easier to handle with a proper night’s sleep. The general rule of thought is to try for 7/8 hours per night. If You can’t sleep after 20 minutes, get up and do something that relaxes you until sleepiness returns. Do not toss and turn as that can bring on too much thinking that may lead to anxiety.
7. Learn to Say No. It’s important to be able to say no so you feel empowered while still maintaining your relationships with others. Saying no helps you establish healthy boundaries and enables others to have clarity about what they can expect from you.
8. Live in the Moment. Focusing only on what is at hand alleviates stress and frees the mind of all facets of crisis around us or what may happen in the future. You can’t do anything about the past and you can only do your best in the moment for whatever may come.
9. Appreciate the Little Things. Instead of focusing on the things you don’t have or can’t do, concentrate on small pieces of happiness. The smell of fresh coffee, cooking a favorite meal, the smell of fresh linens, spending more time to really connect with those you live with – children, partners, friends, pets (especially during times of isolation).
10. Learn & Play. Appreciate the wonders of modern technology that let you video call and play online games with your friends and relatives, even when you’re not physically together. Online courses are a great way to build up your skills and fit perfectly into the current climate. If you need alone time, do a crossword puzzle, play solitaire, etc.

Many leaders we work with worry, especially now during the global pandemic, that trying to emphasize positivity and happiness will make them look out of touch — and rather than helping their people, it will backfire.

A Harvard study indicated quite the opposite. It’s precisely in the midst of a setback or challenging time, that leaders should be actively encouraging positivity because it will help teams weather the storm and keep self healthy and positive.

Positivity can help us get through this, by helping us realize what we have in the moment and changing the way we approach a crisis, for the better. This is a tough time for the world right now, but we can learn a lot from it. It might actually make us realize we took a lot for granted and teach us to appreciate more and think differently.