Reasons for getting Leadership Coaching Amidst the Pandemic

2020 has brought about a tremendous impact in both our personal and professional lives, which brings us to the questions as someone who leads people, do we need leadership coaching amidst the pandemic? The pandemic that the world is facing is not going away anytime soon. This is why everybody everywhere needs to learn how to live in this‘new normal’.

Everyone is expected to stay healthy, be as productive as possible amidst the restrictions and other situations brought about by the pandemic and carry on with our daily lives. As employees, careers are affected due to companies and businesses closing down – they are worried about their livelihood. As leaders, the pressure of worrying about the state of the company or the business is pressing hard, not just personally, but more so because of the employment stability of the people working under you. However, leaders should not lose focus, or lose track of their roles in the company in the eyes of the employees and of the business itself.

Leaders should continue to lead and work for the progress of the company or business to meet or exceed their goals, vision, or mission. They should continue to provide inspiration and solutions to workable challenges as always. Leaders should stand as role models and not lead the workforce into a panic, instead, they should be the motivating force for every employee to keep their heads together and focus. These are just some of the reasons why leaders still need coaching amidst the pandemic.

Looking closely, below are the main reasons why a leader needs leadership coaching more now amidst the pandemic than ever:

1. Role Model

Great leaders are considered the rock stars in a company. These are the employees that mold and shape the face of the company’s business structure, processes, and systems. For employees, they are the stars that leave their legacy behind. During the pandemic, while everyone everywhere is in panic and fear for their health, their employment, and their family and friends’ health and employment, this is the very time employees need a role model to keep things together. As a leader, you are no different. You too are faced with those challenges and fears. However, so long as you can still function, meaning you are healthy, productive, and sane, it is still your responsibility to be your company’s employees’ role model. You need to get coached on how to handle certain situations professionally, and how to address your employees’ numerous concerns calmly and with consideration. During difficult and times like this, leaders can benefit from coaching.

2. Communication

To be able to deliver comfort and assurance, aside from the usual instructions and directives to your direct reports, leaders are expected to be able to communicate effectively and as convincingly as possible without sounding like you are being selfish and callous to the concerns and challenges of your employees. That is what is needed during this pandemic. Open communication and not just all about the business but more about conversations about their present condition. The employee’s needs, fears, their concerns, and what the company can do to help them get through this pandemic is critical, however, at the same time helping the company get through the pandemic’s effect on the business is crucial too. Leaders may need to get coaching amidst the pandemic to tailor his or her ideas to the needs of both the employees and the business.

3. Presence

Just like a seafarer’s motto, “the captain is the last one to leave the ship”,we expect our leaders to keep being positive and be decisive in the difficult times as we are facing due to this pandemic.We do not expect them to lose hope or feel despair. Employees are quick to panic and speculate depending on the situations they have. Leaders may need to get coaching amidst the pandemic to continue and maintain their visibility and presence in the company. They need to continue being the leaders and lead the workforce in facing the pandemic head-on carrying out the vision and mission of the business and at the same time take care of the safety and health of the workforce. Coaching will help the leaders continue to lead and be the workforce’s role model.

4. Life Goes On

Life, as we know, goes on despite whatever situation we are facing just like this pandemic. Business as usual. But leaders, just like employees are human. Leaders need to take care of their health and their business just like ordinary employees. Leaders may need to get coached amidst this pandemic simply because leaders need to coach their employees too. In this pandemic, panic can come easily and one wrong word from a leader may cause a domino effect on the mindset and perception of the company. Leaders need to get their heads together and keep their temperance and composure in delivering news, good or bad. Working remotely is a change in the working conditions of the employees and for some, it may be good news, while for some it may mean difficulties. Leaders need to be able to work with employees in accepting changes that may happen due to the pandemic. And those changes need to come from the leaders.

2020 has brought about life-changing situations for everybody. Employees, leaders, supervisors, managers, literally everybody. Many leaders would need to get coaching amidst this pandemic to keep the business going and at the same time, to ensure the safety and security of the employees.

If you need leadership coaching amidst the pandemic, feel free to contact me.