Recalculating: Leadership and goal-setting
Like everyone else, I eagerly turned the page on ’21. My 2022 goal-setting included new fitness, personal, and business targets.
After the typical holiday overindulgence, I planned to start with a revamped fitness routine, including more biking and outdoor activities and less alcohol and other sweet goodies.
The new year began promisingly with my annual Polar Bear Plunge (typically, this would be a group event, but I opted for a more intimate dip this year), but then on January 2, I tested positive for COVID-19.
Two days into ‘22, and I’d already called my first audible.
I had to cancel coaching sessions and seminars, and rest. During my downtime, I started thinking about the mindset necessary to lead -- and succeed -- during uncertain times.
So, here are some tips for leaders as we embark on what looks to be another year full of changes, uncertainty, stops and starts.
Recalibrate your goals
I quickly recalibrated my fitness goals for 2022, realizing that I had to give my body time to recover from the virus, put my ego aside and build back my fitness slowly.
Leaders can also readjust during uncertain times by shifting the focus from big-picture annual goals to shorter-term, more manageable targets.
We shouldn’t underestimate the value of a team pulling together and achieving a goal, even if it is less ambitious than previous years. Not all the models we have used in the past are serving us in this new world we are working and living in.
Achieving goals will give your team a sense of accomplishment and, as importantly, some positive momentum.
This doesn’t mean forsaking long-term planning. But we have to learn from the past two years of unpredictability that have scuttled many business and team goals and be ready to quickly pivot.
Acknowledge how you feel
With pandemic fatigue affecting all aspects of our lives, it’s time to honestly acknowledge how you feel.
I’m frustrated. I’m scared. I’m mad. Don’t deny how you are feeling. It’s about taking stock of what’s happening for you, mentally and emotionally.
There’s a great concept from psychiatrist and mindfulness expert Dan Siegel that goes:
“If you can name it, you can tame it.”
One of the first things is just acknowledging what you are feeling and giving your team permission to do the same.
Give yourself and your team the grace you all deserve. Acknowledge how you feel and how it is impacting you and those around you. Then ask yourself “Okay, what can I do now to move forward?” Baby steps….people.
Look for opportunities to make a human connection
I was recently preparing a business webinar with approximately 100 attendees. A colleague in HR asked if I had any music to play as an intro for the session.
I usually don’t use music for these sessions, but I thought, ‘OK, what can I find?’ So, I scrolled through my iTunes and picked Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond.
When I started playing the song I watched the reactions on my monitor with interest.
Some of the attendees danced in their seats; some clapped their hands, some sang along. Others were smiling. Then they started typingmments in the chatbox, saying things like, “I needed that!”, “Great song”, “This is fun”
We’re all pandemic-out, Zoomed-out and craving connectivity, fun and silliness
The music session gave us all an instant emotional boost and connection.
In 2022, leaders should work hard to find and create opportunities for connection, humour, levity and spontaneity.
Think about sharing uplifting music, funny stories, or anecdotes to start your meetings. Remember when you were a kid and had a show and tell? What would that look like at a meeting if everyone had to bring something unrelated to work that something fun, light, or whimsical from their personal life?
It could be something your dog did, a funny thing your kid said, a snippet from an old Seinfeld episode (“I was in the pool!!”)– anything that made you laugh or smile or feel joy.
This is not filler. There’s a genuine need for people to connect in the workplace during COVID times. Creating fun and lightness at work is a high-leverage strategy for keeping your team healthy, happy and productive.
Want to talk about your goals for the new year? Feel free to email me.
Chris